In a live address to the nation from Downing Street, the PM urged party leaders and MPs to put self-interest aside, and 'come together in the national interest and deliver on the referendum'
THERESA May dramatically invited Jeremy Corbyn to No10 for emergency late-night Brexit talks — after surviving a no-confidence vote in her Government.
But the EU exit deadlock crisis deepened when the hard left Labour boss ducked the invitation, sparking fury from MPs.
In an extraordinary Commons exchange, Mr Corbyn insisted the PM first take her threat of leaving the EU without a deal off the table, dubbing it “blackmail”.
No10 immediately insisted No Deal must remain to deliver on the referendum verdict.
The latest setback came after Mrs May defeated Labour’s motion of no confidence in her Government by 325 votes to 306, a majority of 19.
Mr Corbyn called it - the first in 26 years - in a bid to hold a snap general election after the PM’s Brexit deal suffered a record defeat by a majority of 230 on Tuesday night.
Addressing MPs immediately after the high stakes 7pm vote, Mrs May also invited over the leaders of the SNP, Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru.
The PM said she approached the meetings “in a constructive spirit” and urged others “to do the same”.
GOING SOFT
A cross-party group of MPs are frantically pushing an alternative Soft Brexit plan which could replace Mrs May's deal.
It would be welcomed by big business - but Brexit voters would be unhappy because it would mean Britain accepting open borders, and following European rules without a say.
HOW LIKELY? 3/5
HARD AS NAILS
Most of the Tory Brexiteers who oppose the PM's deal want her to return to Brussels and strike a tougher line.
But Eurocrats currently insist it's impossible to re-open negotiations.
HOW LIKELY? 2/5
REFERENDUM RE-RUN
Dozens of MPs are hell-bent on forcing Mrs May to hold a second referendum so Britain can stay in the EU.
Yet without the support of the Government it's unlikely the second vote could become a reality.
HOW LIKELY? 3/5
DEAL OR NO DEAL?
If Mrs May cannot pass a deal, the legal default is that we will leave the EU without a deal on March 29.
Despite the legal position, the majority of MPs insist they will take any measure necessary to rule out No Deal.
HOW LIKELY? 4/5
MAY TRIUMPHS - EVENTUALLY
Cabinet ministers remain adamant that a version of Theresa May's plan will eventually pass the Commons, even after losing last night.
They believe sceptical MPs will lose their nerve as Brexit Day approaches - terrified of either No Deal or a second referendum.
HOW LIKELY? 3/5
She added: “I stand ready to work with any member of this House to deliver on Brexit, and ensure that this House retains the confidence of the British people”.
Corbyn’s spokesman said he was aware of the offer but had refused to go.
In a live address to the nation from Downing Street, the PM urged party leaders and MPs to put self-interest aside, and “come together in the national interest and deliver on the referendum”.
Attempting to reassure the nation, Mrs May said that while it would not be an easy task to break the Brexit deadlock, parties had a “duty to act and get this done”.
And she piled pressure on Jeremy Corbyn by saying she was “disappointed” he had not chosen to take part. But she added: “Our door remains open”.
Tory MP James Heappey blasted: "Jeremy Corbyn has sat down with terrorists around the world apparently in pursuit of peace and always without preconditions.
"But will he sit down with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to tackle biggest constitutional challenge of our time without preconditions? Errr, no."
Mrs May revealed she would be meeting MPs representing the “widest possible range of views” later on Thursday.
BBC had to switch live coverage of the speech to BBC2 – because the FA Cup replay between Southampton and Derby went into extra time.
But Tory Brexiteers feared she is ready to delay Brexit to pursue a softer deal with the EU after No10 refused to rule out accepting a customs union to win opposition support.
Also, with just 72 days to go until Brexit and the clock ticking down fast:
Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood slammed Mr Corbyn for refusing to enter talks with Mrs May — given he has previously met Hamas and said that the West should speak to Syrian dictator President Assad.
He stormed: “How incredible he’s willing to sit down with terrorist groups but not willing to discuss matters of national importance with the Prime Minister.”
After meeting Mrs May, Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable said: “No Deal must be taken off the table and there has to be constructive discussion of People’s Vote.
“We are willing to listen but just fiddling with the agreement is not sufficient.”
The SNP confirmed they had also ruled out joining in any formal talks unless the PM drops the No Deal threat.
Westminster leader Ian Blackford also demanded an extension of the Article 50 process plus the option of a second referendum.
In a letter to the PM he confirmed: “Discussions around cosmetic changes to your deal, which has now been rejected by Parliament will not move this matter forward.
“It is my view that if you are able to confirm that the extension of Article 50, a ruling out of a No Deal Brexit and the option of a second EU referendum would form the basis of those discussions, then we could participate in them.”
TONIGHT: Theresa May invites opposition leaders to No10 to talk Brexit.
Jeremy Corbyn has said he’s probably not going to go - demanding Mrs May rule out No Deal Brexit first.
The SNP have welcomed the chats.
NEXT FEW DAYS: More meetings with senior parliamentarians to forge a cross party consensus on Brexit
Jean-Claude Juncker has said he will host the PM in Brussels if she really wants to come - but she hasn’t responded yet.
MONDAY: The PM will make a statement in the Commons laying out her next steps, which will be debated and voted upon by MPs by January 30 at the latest - but probably earlier.
MARCH 29: Britain’s still set to leave the EU by this date - unless everything else goes wrong.
In a further headache for the PM, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox signalled that he would quit if she locked Britain into a customs union.
Leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg warned there were “considerable risks” of the Conservative party splitting if Mrs May got her Brexit deal through the Commons on the back of Labour votes.
IT is staggering to hear Remainer pundits inside their Remainer bubble blame Brexit-backing politicians for the current chaos.
A Remainer PM with her Remainer Chancellor and Remainer friends entrusted a Remainer civil servant to negotiate Brexit.
For show, three successive Leavers were made Brexit Secretary, then sidelined. Two quit in protest.
Remain ultras working for a billionaire Remainer’s campaign to rerun the referendum openly conspired with the EU to destroy our negotiating position.
Remainer politicians, campaigners and journalists outnumbered Brexiters four to one on virtually all TV news shows, heaping bile on Brexit.
And Mrs May’s deal would still have lost on Tuesday even if every single Leaver had backed it — because a Tory Remainer hardcore prefer the horrific chaos of a second referendum.
Leave MPs aren’t the “hardliners” in this battle, unless it is hardline to fulfil a democratic mandate as promised.
This fiasco is not of their making.
