The Prime Minister's Brexit deal was crushed by a historic margin of 202 in favour to 432 against, paving the way for a vote of no-confidence in the Government by the Opposition, which Mrs May told MPs she would make time for on Wednesday, January 16th.

The first vote of the night was cast on an amendment to the Withdrawal Agreement by John Baron MP, which proposed inserting a right for Britain to leave the deal's controversial "backstop" without needing to seek the EU's permission — but this was also crushed, by 600 votes to 24.

"This vote tells us nothing about how or if [Parliament] intends to honour the decision the British people took in a referendum Parliament decided to hold, and EU citizens who have made their home here and UK citizens living in the EU deserve clarity on these questions as soon as possible," Mrs May responded defiantly.