Theresa May could announce Brexit delay upon return from EU leaders' meeting, minister hints

Remarks come amid suggestions Downing Street is considering a two-month extension to Article 50 negotiating period

Theresa May could announce a delay to Brexit upon her return from an EU leaders' gathering in Egypt, a government minister has hinted.

The remarks from Tobias Ellwood follow Ms May's decision not to hold a second vote on her deal this week and reports suggested a two-month extension of Article 50 is being considered by Downing Street officials.

Asked if the prime minister could announce an Article 50 extension after her return from talks with other EU leaders in Egypt, the defence minister said: "You need to wait and hear what she has to say when she gets back.

"That, I don't know. I'm encouraging that to happen because it's not in anybody's interest to see no deal."

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Ellwood also on Eurosceptic MPs in the European Research Group (ERG) to "fall in line" to help Ms May secure a deal.

"She has done her utmost to appease the ERG," he said. "The referendum itself was done with them in mind, the Article 50 letter was sent with them in mind, the motions have been delayed and written with the ERG in mind.

"It's now important for them to fall in line. We would not be having this conversation about no deal if it wasn't for the fact that, I'm afraid, there's been a bloc voice in our party that has hindered the Prime Minister getting this across the line.

"She may get the necessary concessions and legal agreements concerning the backstop, but, ultimately, the clock is ticking down. If we cannot get this deal across the line, we are facing the prospect of having to extend."

During the first day of the EU and Arab League summit in Egypt, the prime minister insisted a vote will be held on her deal before 12 March and said it was "still within our grasp" to leave the EU on 29 March - a remarkably lukewarm assessment given Ms May's previous statements on the UK's exit date.

But according to the Daily Telegraph one of the options being considered by Downing Street in order to avoid a no-deal scenario, includes requesting a short extension of the Article 50 negotiating period if the prime minister fails to achieve MPs' backing for head deal by 12 March.

And on Wednesday, Ms May will also face a challenge from backbenchers spearheaded by the Labour MP Yvette Cooper which also seeks a extension of the negotiating period if a second meaningful vote fails.

Ms Cooper BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The Government doesn't feel to me to be behaving like a responsible government at all at the moment. The idea that we could be only a few weeks from Brexit and we still don't know what kind of Brexit we are going to have and we're not even going to have a vote on it until two weeks before that final deadline.

"I don't see how businesses can plan, I don't see how public services can plan and I think it's just deeply damaging."

She denied that her proposal was designed to stop Brexit: "The bill doesn't revoke Article 50, it doesn't block Brexit, it doesn't solve the big decisions that Parliament still has to take and that the Government still has to take."