Brexit news: Theresa May tells MPs to ‘get on with it’ as she turns up pressure on parliament to force through deal

See how The Independent covered the day's political events

Brexit: Theresa May puts blame for what she has called a national 'crisis' on MPs

Theresa May has risked the anger of MPs after she blamed them for forcing her to ask the EU for a "short delay" to Brexit.

In a letter to European Council president Donald Tusk, the prime minister asked for a three-month extension to Article 50 negotiation process, pushing the scheduled date to leave the EU from 29 March to 30 June.

However Mr Tusk put his foot down, saying he would grant the delay but only if MPs backed Ms May's Brexit deal.

Some hours later Ms May used a televised address to accuse the Commons of having tried everything to avoid making a decision on whether it wanted to leave the block with a deal, crash out without one or not leave at all.

From Downing Street she told voters she was "on your side", adding that she believed "You're tired of the infighting, you're tired of the political games and the arcane procedural rows, tired of MPs talking about nothing else but Brexit when you have real concerns about our children's schools, our National Health Service, knife crime."

"You want this stage of the Brexit process to be over and done with. I agree," she said.

In response the PM was accused of being "toxic" and even of risking her colleagues' safety.

It meant that Ms May must now find a way of putting her deal before parliament for the third time, with no clear evidence that MPs will back it after twice voting it down by crushing margins.

If the deal fails again there is a significant chance she could resign, having told MPs earlier in the day she could not be the leader to impose a lengthy delay to Brexit.

See below how we covered the day's events live

Key Points

• Theresa May asks for Brexit delay until 30 June in letter to European Union
• ...but Donald Tusk says delay would be conditional on MPs backing her deal
• 'I'm on your side,' PM tells voters she says are 'tired of political games'
• Labour secures emergency debate on decision to delay Britain's departure
• Celebrities agree to fund coaches for Final Say referendum march

[20 March 2019 16:19 · Lizzy Buchan]

Here's the key clip from Donald Tusk's speech.

[20 March 2019 16:21 · Lizzy Buchan]

Here's our breaking story on Donald Tusk's comments - and how he's turned up the heat on MPs.

[20 March 2019 16:25 · Lizzy Buchan]

Bookmakers Paddy Power have been forced to suspend betting on a General Election to be called, following a flood of large bets in the last hour.

Our political editor Joe Watts sparked rumours the PM would make a statement tonight, which whipped Westminster into a frenzy.

A Paddy Power spokesman said: “We’ve seen a rush of hefty bets on a General Election to take place within the last hour or so, and as a result, we are refusing to take any further bets on the market.

“It seems there ‘May’ be trouble ahead.”

[20 March 2019 16:37 · Lizzy Buchan]

Back in the Commons, Sir Keir Starmer said "there's nothing new, it's just the same deal to be brought back as soon as possible".

He said: "The PM's approach, I'm afraid, is the same old blinkered approach which is 'all I'm going to do is to seek time to put my deal back exactly the same before the House for another vote'."

He went on: "There's a growing expectation that this House needs to have time to decide what happens next."

Independent group MP Anna Soubry asked: "Is it because she is stubborn or is it because she's in the pockets of the ERG, the hard Brexiteers, who are essentially running this country, running this Brexit process?"

Sir Keir replied: "The prime minister still thinks that the failed strategy of the last two years, namely my deal or no-deal, a blinkered approach, no changes, no room for parliament, should just be pursued for another three months."

[20 March 2019 16:42 · Lizzy Buchan]

Taiseach Leo Varadkar has let the cat out of the bag that the PM will address the nation tonight - as we reported earlier.

This is likely to annoy No10 as it's the second time Dublin has announced the PM's plans before she has. Last time, Irish ministers let slip that May was travelling to Strasbourg to meet Jean-Claude Juncker before No10 did.

[20 March 2019 17:06 · Lizzy Buchan]

Theresa May is not attending the weekly 1922 committee meeting tonight, where she would have almost certainly faced a frosty reception.

The '22, as it is known, is an influential group of Conservative backbenchers.

[20 March 2019 17:13 · Lizzy Buchan]

Back in the Commons, Tory former attorney general Dominic Grieve is giving a furious speech, where he says he has 'never been more ashamed to be a Conservative MP'.

He says the UK is getting very close to the edge, where the EU could reasonably say 'we've had enough'.

He asks 'what is the purpose of this government? How is it furthering the national interest?'

"We really are at the 11th hour, 59th minute. The government's credibility is running out, trust in it is running out... unless the PM does something different we are going to spiral down into oblivion and the worst thing is we will deserve it."

[20 March 2019 17:32 · Lizzy Buchan]

Labour MPs Gareth Snell and Lisa Nandy have come up with a new amendment, which aims to break the Brexit deadlock by giving MPs a say during the next phase of talks.

Indy readers will be familiar with these plans - as we wrote about the behind-the-scenes talks last week.

[20 March 2019 17:49 · Benjamin Kentish]

Speaking in Dublin, Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar says he does not believe reports that France could veto an extension to Article 50.

Asked about the possibility of Emmanuel Macron vetoing the delay, he said:

"No. It is my understanding, and people will know this from his public comments, that he is sceptical about an extension.

"A lot of people in the European Union want this resolved. It's been going on for over two years now. There's a lot of frustration across the European Union.'' 

[20 March 2019 18:03 · Benjamin Kentish]

Leo Varadkar also said people should "cut the British government some slack".

He said:

"There is a real risk that we wish to avoid of no-deal happening by accident despite people's best intentions.

"It's time now to cut them some slack, to cut the British government some slack, when it comes to their request for an extension and when it comes to their request that the Strasbourg Agreement be ratified formally by the European Council over the next two days. "