Brexit vote: MPs expected to delay leaving EU as second referendum is rejected

British Parliament has voted to delay Brexit.

UK MPs voted 412 to 202 to support a government motion to delay leaving the European Union, which was set for March 29.

However, they also opted against a Remainer bid to secure a second referendum on Brexit.

The second referendum was defeated by a huge margin in a blow to hardline Remainers desperate to stay in the EU for good.

Labour sat the vote out while the Tories voted against - condemning the motion to a landslide defeat.

Just 85 of Parliament’s 650 MPs backed a referendum, with a total of 334 voting against.

It’s the first time British Parliament has formally voted on whether or not to hold a second referendum which could overturn Brexit.

If MPs back a delay as expected, Britain won’t leave the EU on time on March 29.

Mrs May wants to see a short extension to give her time to put her deal in place - and says that if the deal falls again next week, the delay could last as long as two years.

It comes as Donald Trump said Theresa May could have avoided the Brexit crisis by listening to him on how to negotiate the deal.

Mr Trump told reporters while the UK leaving the European Union was complicated it would have gone much for smoothly for the UK prime minister if she had listened to him.

"It's a very complex thing right now, it's tearing a country apart, it's actually tearing a lot of countries apart and it's a shame it has to be that way but I think we will stay right in our lane," he said.

"I'm surprised at how badly it has all gone from a stand point of negotiations but I gave the prime minister my ideas of how to negotiate it, she didn't listen to that and that's fine but it could have been negotiated in a different manner."

Mr Trump made the comments alongside Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office.

His comments come as UK MPs prepare to vote on delaying Britain’s withdrawal from the EU.

If MPs back a delay as expected, Britain won't leave the EU on time on March 29.

Mrs May wants to see a short extension to give her time to put her deal in place — and says that if the deal falls again next week, the delay could last as long as two years.

Top Eurocrat Donald Tusk confirmed the PM's warning today, saying: "I will appeal to the EU27 to be open to a long extension if the UK finds it necessary to rethink its #Brexit strategy and build consensus around it."

This article originally appeared in The Sunand has been reproduced here with permission.