Brexit news: Theresa May gives press conference amid anger over delays - despite EU backing Article 50 extension
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Theresa May has faced questions over a potential delay to Brexit amid reports Downing Street is considering the option of a short extension to Article 50.
During a brief press conference at the close of the EU-Arab summit in Egypt, the prime minister, however, continued to insist that leaving the bloc on the 29 March was "within our grasp".
Her remarks came as a series of EU leaders raised the prospect of extending the negotiations, as the European Council president, Donald Tusk, added it would be a "ration solution" - given the lack of a parliamentary majority for Ms May's Brexit deal.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who had talks with Mrs May in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday, said the UK needed to "wake up".
Mr Rutte told the BBC: "The Netherlands is one of your best friends. What you guys are doing - leaving EU in this time of insecurity in the world, instability in EU - is the wrong decision.
"It's four weeks until the end date and still the UK has not agreed a position. So, now we are sleepwalking into a no-deal scenario. It's unacceptable and your best friends have to warn you.
Challenged over whether MPs would be able to vote on any additional assurances she secures from Brussels before they have been formally signed off by the EU27, Mrs May told reporters: "It is possible to do it either way."
Rejecting calls for a delay, the Prime Minister added: "An extension to Article 50, a delay in this process, doesn't deliver a decision in Parliament, it doesn't deliver a deal. All it does is precisely what the word 'delay' says.
"Any extension of Article 50 isn't addressing the issues.
The European parliament’s Brexit chief Guy Verhofstadt also branded her decision to postpone the Commons ballot “one of the most reckless” he had ever seen, accusing Ms May of “kicking the can down the road”.
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Theresa May is meeting European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on Monday as part of her talks with EU leaders in Sharm el Sheikh, a senior UK government official has said.
The official said Mrs May had a "good, friendly" 45-minute meeting with Mrs Merkel on the fringes of the EU-League of Arab States summit they are attending.
The issue of extending Article 50 came up briefly in the meeting, and Mrs May reiterated that the UK wanted to leave the EU with a deal on the scheduled date of March 29, the official said.
Ms May is also expected to take part in a press conference around 1.30pm.
Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme this morning, Jon Lansman, the founder of Momentum, was pressed on the issue of antisemitism within Labour's ranks.
While he rejected claims from the Independent Group MP Luciana Berger that the party is "institutionally antisemitic", he said: "I do think we have a major problem and it always seems to me that we under-estimate the scale of it. I think it is a widespread problem.
"I think it is now obvious that we have a much larger number of people with hardcore anti-Semitic opinions which unfortunately is polluting the atmosphere in a lot of constituency parties and in particular online. We have to deal with these people."
He welcomed Tom Watson's decision to bring forward cases of alleged antisemitism, saying: "I think it is a responsibility of everyone in the Labour Party, from the top to the bottom, to report cases ... I think we should be more proactive in going out and seeking cases, so I welcome that."
Mr Lansman - who is himself Jewish - said he was "extremely upset" by Ms Berger's departure, adding: "I think any Jewish member of the party leaving the party because of anti-Semitism is a source of tremendous regret and sadness and some shame."
Why does @skwawkbox seek to understate the problem? Just 61 people have gone following disciplinary action but the most serious cases are those awaiting
Later today, MPs in the newly-formed Independent Group are set to meet in Westminster for their first official meeting - after eight Labour and three Conservative MPs dramatically resigned last week to join the grouping.
They are expected to hold discussions behind closed doors as Chuka Umunna said at the weekend he wanted to play the "biggest role" in the group just days after the ex-Tory MP Heidi Allen appeared to endorse him to lead the group.
However former Tory Sarah Wollaston told BBC Radio 4's The Westminster Hour: "I think we would all be very happy to see Chuka in that role, but we don't know over the coming days and weeks whether others will join us and somebody else may emerge.
"But there's clearly an appetite from the public to know who's going to be our spokesperson and I think that's reasonable."
She predicted that more Tories would quit to join them following Mrs May's announcement that she was delaying the "meaningful vote" on her Brexit deal to March 12 - just 17 days before Britain is due to leave.
"I think there are very many MPs who are interested in joining us," she said.
"I think a lot of people are watching to see what happens this week. So I think some of my colleagues will also be considering their positions following that announcement."
Anna Soubry, who quit the Tories last week to join the Independent Group, has said she is considering contempt proceedings against a Brexit minister if she is not supplied with no-deal documents this week.
Ms Soubry withdrew a Commons amendment demanding publication of the papers earlier this month after being assured that she would be given access to them and would be able to help identify those which should be made public.
Ms Soubry said: "This minister, with the agreement of the government, said 'We will give you these papers'. These papers are really, really important.
"What they show is an impartial, honest appraisal of the grave dangers to our country in trade and economic terms if we leave without a deal. We believe that the public have a right to see those papers."
She said: "At the moment, I am putting my faith in good ministers who were promising that what I need will be delivered in time for Wednesday's debate. That's the critical thing, because it will inform MPs."
This is from the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg, who is quoting an interview with the Dutch prime minister - considered an ally of Theresa May.
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