Theresa May gets locked in her car while Angela Merkel waits, on same day as being told by EU chiefs that she is stuck with their Brexit terms

THERESA MAY got trapped in the back of her own car on Tuesday – ahead of a Cabinet mauling over ‘No Deal’ the next day.

Red-faced security officials battled for 12 seconds to open the PM’s door as she arrived for lunch with Angela Merkel in Berlin.

It came as Mrs May made a whistle-stop tour of Europe in a desperate bid to salvage her Brexit agreement with Brussels.

But EU leaders have refused to agree to re-open talks on the Brexit deal, saying they will only help her to try and get the deal through Parliament in other ways.

And The Sun can reveal she faces an ambush in Cabinet as Ministers demand she dramatically step up No Deal preparations.

Senior sources told The Sun that patience had run out at the “go slow” by Government on preparing Britain’s borders and businesses for going it alone on March 29.

One Cabinet Minister said: “We have to start showing we’re serious about preparing for a No Deal.

"Everyone hopes a deal can be done but we need to show we’re getting ready.”

Another said: “Most think more needs to be done.”

The PM last night insisted contingency planning had been stepped up “in recent days”.

And on Wednesday she will say the post-Brexit residency applications of EU nationals working in the NHS must begin this week.

But Cabinet sources attacked Theresa May’s closest allies such as de-facto deputy PM David Lidington for spending more time exploring super-soft Brexits – such as a Norway-style deal – than preparing for a No Deal.

The bitter divide came in another tumultuous day for the Government:

• The Sun can reveal that Theresa May rejected a window dressing offer from EU leaders to help sell her Brexit deal, after a whistle stop tour of Europe’s capitals ended in failure.
• Leadership hopefuls Sajid Javid and Boris Johnson began openly campaigning to replace Theresa May on Tuesday night.
• Brexit rebels claimed they were on the verge of hitting the 48 letters needed from Tory MPs to trigger a confidence vote in the PM.
• Calls for the PM to delay Britain’s EU exit date spiralled as business chiefs warn of “serious casualties” from Parliament’s deadlock.
• Elsewhere, Labour descended into civil war as Jeremy Corbyn was told he had a “duty” to table a vote of no confidence in the Government.

The chaos comes after the PM was forced to scrap the planned Commons vote on her deal.

She wants European leaders to agree to tweak to the deal in time for a Brussels summit starting on Thursday.

That would allow Mrs May to put her deal to MPs as early as next week - but if she fails it could be delayed to the New Year.

Europe has radically stepped up its own No Deal preparations.

Irish Foreign Secretary Simon Coveney revealed the Republic was accelerating the recruitment of 1,000 customs staff.

Ireland is also talking to Brussels about making state aid available to Irish firms hit by the fallout of a No Deal on March 29.

Separately German industry group BDI demanded the European Commission present emergency No Deal plans.

And France’s Europe Minister Nathalie Loiseau admitted a No Deal was now “not unlikely”.

French MPs voted through new laws to prepare for a No Deal on the eve of Mrs May’s diplomatic push.

Speaking at a think tank event in London last night Treasury Chief Secretary Liz Truss admitted it had been a “very difficult week”.

But she said: “We will get through Brexit, by hook or by crook – I’ve always said it would be in the final moments.

“I am staying put, making the case.”

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