Brexit news - LIVE: EU leaders unanimously agree to give UK unconditional ‘flextension’ if it approves withdrawal agreement next week
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Theresa May’s request to extend triggering Article 50 until the end of June was rejected by the EU, which instead offered a shorter time frame.
Ms May has now accepted the offer of a delay until May 22 if her withdrawal deal is approved by Parliament.
If MPs reject it for a third time, the EU says Britain must propose a new plan by April 12.
The result of this would either be a much longer delay or crashing out of the EU without a deal.
Ms May said she will not support a long delay because it would mean Britain participating in elections for the European Parliament.
Here’s how events unfolded:
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Just to update you on events over in Brussels, the EU27 heads of state are currently discussing the UK's request to delay Brexit. Theresa May finished addressing her fellow leaders around an hour ago.
We're expecting Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, and Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, to give a joint press conference around 6.00pm UK time, followed by one by Ms May around 6.30pm, but that is all subject to change...
Business and trade union leaders have joined forces to urge Theresa May to "change course" on Brexit to avert a "national emergency"
DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said his party will need "legal assurances" on the backstop if it is to support Theresa May's Brexit deal.
He told BBC Radio Ulster:
"If those issues are not adequately addressed than I don't think this agreement is going to go through.
"Our priority is preserving the Union and getting an outcome that is economically good for Northern Ireland.
"We do not want a no-deal outcome, that is not the preferred outcome of the DUP. It is not what the DUP is working towards.
"We are working towards an agreement that we can support that delivers Brexit and is good for Northern Ireland and good for the United Kingdom as a whole.
"What's on the table at the moment is potentially harmful to Northern Ireland, which is why we want the legal assurances that we are seeking in relation to the backstop before we can commit to support this deal.
"That is our objective - clear, simply and absolute. We are not working towards a no-deal outcome."
Events in Brussels are very delayed. There is no sign of Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, who were due to be giving a press conference almost an hour ago.
Reports suggest the European Council is drafting a new text that does not include a new Brexit date of 22 May, which could take quite some time...
French president Emmanuel Macron tweeted this earlier. It translates as: "On Brexit, we need to be clear among ourselves, our British friends and our peoples. The withdrawal agreement cannot be renegotiated. In case of a British negative vote, we would go to a no-deal."
The BBC is reporting that EU leaders are planning to delay Brexit until 7 May. That's a lot sooner than the 30 June date Theresa May had requested, and even earlier than the EU's original proposal of 22 May.
Full story: The Independent Group MP Anna Soubry says she is unable to go home because of death threats over Brexit
Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle has blamed Theresa May for having 'whipped up fear and division' after he was attacked in the street
It looks like it could be a long night. Donald Tusk's spokesman tweets...
Nigel Farage has said the "prospects of a no deal are becoming remarkably higher".
He told the BBC:
"A no deal could be Mrs May's only way to save the Conservative Party."
The former Ukip leader said he was already planning for the UK to take part in European elections if Brexit is delayed, adding:
"If I did that huge psychological damage to David Cameron and Conservatives back in 2014, think what could I do this year.
"I would get a lot more votes this time than I did last time. A European election would do Theresa May's party a lot of damage."
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