The EU has vowed to ramp up planning for a no deal Brexit which will happen by default unless Article 50 is revoked, extended or a deal is passed.

This evening Theresa May’s Brexit deal suffered a crushing defeat in the House of Commons by 432 votes to 202.

And tomorrow a no confidence vote will be held in her government after Jeremy Corbyn tabled the measure.

It means the future of the UK’s relationship with the EU is currently up in the air.

Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, said: "On the EU side, the process of ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement continues.

"The Withdrawal Agreement is a fair compromise and the best possible deal.

"It reduces the damage caused by Brexit for citizens and businesses across Europe. It is the only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.

"The risk of a disorderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom has increased with this evening’s vote. While we do not want this to happen, the European Commission will continue its contingency work to help ensure the EU is fully prepared.

"I urge the United Kingdom to clarify its intentions as soon as possible.

"Time is almost up."

Belgium’s Prime Minister Charles Michel said on Twitter his country was also stepping up its planning for a Brexit no-deal.

Seconds after the Government’s defeat was announced, European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted: “If a deal is impossible, and no one wants no deal, then  who will finally have the courage to say what the only positive solution is?"

The European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt said: "The UK Parliament has said what it doesn’t want.

"Now is the time to find out what UK parliamentarians want. In the meantime, the rights of citizens must be safeguarded."

Ireland said it was the clear position of the European Union that Britain’s draft divorce deal  was not open for renegotiation, even after its crushing defeat.

"The Irish Government recalls the clear position of the European Council at its meeting of December 13 when it stated that the withdrawal agreement is not open for renegotiation.

This was restated in the joint letter from Presidents Tusk and Juncker to Prime Minister May yesterday," Dublin said in a statement.

"The Irish Government recognises, however, that a disorderly Brexit is a bad outcome for everyone, not least in Northern Ireland. It is not too late to avoid this outcome and we call on the UK to set out how it proposes to resolve this impasse as a matter of urgency."

Ireland’s foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney said the Irish government regretted the outcome of the Westminster vote.

Mr Coveney told RTE News: "We regret the decision but we’re not hugely surprised by it.

"I think the predictions were consistent enough over the last few days that this would be a heavy defeat and so we now need to be patient and calm to allow this process in Westminster to take its course."

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