Theresa May has told MPs that a third vote on her Brexit deal may not take place next week “if it appears there is not sufficient support”.

European Council President Donald Tusk said on Friday that Brexit’s fate was “in Britain’s hands”.

EU leaders have agreed to delay the departure date by at least two weeks.

If MPs approve the PM’s deal next week, Brexit will be delayed from 29 March until 22 May. Otherwise the UK has until 12 April to propose a new plan.

‘Clear choices’

In a letter to all MPs on Friday evening, Mrs May said: “If it appears that there is not sufficient support to bring the deal back next week, or the House (of Commons) rejects it again, we can ask for another extension before 12 April – but that will involve holding European Parliament elections.”

That was one of four “clear choices” she outlined, along with revoking Article 50, which she said would “betray the result of the referendum”, leaving with no deal, or getting her deal approved next week.

The final option relies on Commons Speaker John Bercow allowing her to bring the deal back after he previously ruled that another vote couldn’t be held without “substantial” changes to the deal.

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Theresa May said asking for an extension was a matter “of great personal regret”

Mrs May offered to talk to MPs over the coming days “as Parliament prepares to take momentous decisions”.

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Her letter came after the DUP – whose support will be crucial if the Government is to win – indicated they still would not back her deal.

Nigel Dodds, the party’s deputy leader, said the prime minister had “missed an opportunity” to propose changes to the withdrawal agreement to help get it through the Commons.

Media captionTheresa May’s televised address, blaming MPs for a delay, caused anger in Westminster

Mrs May also referred to her televised address on Wednesday, in which she blamed the delay to Brexit on MPs.

She acknowledged that “a number of colleagues had raised concerns” about her words and it had not been her intention to make their “difficult job… any more difficult”.

Mrs May also confirmed in her letter that the government would change the law to alter the UK’s departure date from the EU next week.