Brexit news: Tom Watson defies Jeremy Corbyn over second referendum as Macron issues fresh attack on Brexiteers

Follow the updates from Westminster as they happened

'I do not believe that we should be revoking Article 50' Theresa May speaks after EU agrees plan to delay Brexit

Labour's deputy leader, Tom Watson, has said a fresh Brexit referendum is "the only way" to solve the current crisis.

Speaking before the major Put it to the People march in London on Saturday, he said the best way to unite the country was to "have a final say - and then live with the result".

It came as Theresa May faced mounting pressure after European Union leaders seized control of the Brexit timetable during late night talks in Brussels.

EU leaders said they would be prepared to defer Britain’s departure until 22 May if the government’s deal is approved next week - if not, then a deadline of 12 April has been set, they added.

Reports suggested that the chairman of the influential 1922 group of Conservatives, Sir Graham Brady, visited Ms May this week and relayed the message that MPs in the party want her to stand down.

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Key Points

• Labour's deputy leader says fresh referendum 'the only way' to solve Brexit crisis
• EU leaders decide Brexit fate behind closed doors as Article 50 extension secured
• Revoke Article 50 petition calling for Brexit to be cancelled hits 3.8m signatures
• Armed forces set up team in nuclear bunker to prepare for no-deal scenario
• Minister suggests Conservative MPs to be offered free vote on Brexit 'plan B' options

[22 March 2019 08:08 · Ashley Cowburn]

[22 March 2019 08:09 · Ashley Cowburn]

[22 March 2019 08:09 · Ashley Cowburn]

[22 March 2019 08:34 · Ashley Cowburn]

The European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt has welcomed the decision to approve an extension to the Article 50 negotiation process.

[22 March 2019 09:02 · Ashley Cowburn]

[22 March 2019 09:13 · Ashley Cowburn]

[22 March 2019 09:18 · Ashley Cowburn]

Speaking on the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme, the former Ukip leader Nigel Farage said he will take over the leadership of the Brexit part. 

When asked if he would stand again in any EU elections for the new party, Mr Farage said: "Absolutely I will.

"The Brexit Party was set up a few weeks ago, it's registered with the Electoral Commission, it is at the moment a virtual party - it's a website - we haven't launched."

[22 March 2019 09:36 · Ashley Cowburn]

Shadow Brexit secretary Matthew Pennycook has been granted an urgent question today in the Commons on the PM’s EU council meeting last night. Expect it just after 11am.

[22 March 2019 09:52 · Ashley Cowburn]

Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the backbench 1922 committee, was reported to have met with the prime minister earlier this week to tell her that most Conservative MPs now want her to stand down.

The Daily Telegraph said that Sir Graham visited her in Downing Street on Monday after being "bombarded" with text messages from MPs demanding she should go.

The paper said that it was one of a series of direct confrontations with Conservative MPs in the run-up to the summit.

Asked about the claims by The Independent, Sir Graham declined to comment.

[22 March 2019 10:13 · Ashley Cowburn]

Martin Selmayr, the secretary general of the European Commission, has posted pictures from inside the meeting of EU leaders - after they spent yesterday evening discussing Brexit. 

Praising the European Economic Area (EEA), he says: "A well tested, successful model for close economic integration between the EU and its neighbours."

Unsurprisingly, his tweet is being taken as a pretty heavy hint to the UK... should parliament once again reject Theresa May's deal in the Commons next week.