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Correspondent for DW News Barbara Wesel says the situation is "very fluid" and different dates are being discussed.

"For Emmanuel Macron, the European elections are really important and he wants a separation between the Brexit date and when the elections take place," she says.

"Angela Merkel is someone who sits back and waits. She doesn't need to grab power - she is long past that point.

"What she wants is an orderly Brexit - so if Macron's plan works she will go along with it."

Image source, Reuters

ITV News political correspondent Paul Brand says chief whip Julian Smith is feeling broken after Theresa May's "appalling" speech on Wednesday.

"I understand her sermon from the No10 lectern – damning of her Parliamentary colleagues on Brexit – has snapped the final bond of trust between Theresa May and Julian Smith - the man she relies on to deliver discipline, and most importantly, votes.

"In the tea rooms and offices of Parliament, the chief whip has been openly admitting today that he found last night's statement in Downing Street 'appalling'.

"That is quite the outburst for a man known - indeed hired - for his discretion."

Read more from Paul here., external

EU leaders remain locked in discussions over proposals to postpone Brexit, as they wrangle over the final deadline for the UK to leave.

Almost two hours after the expected conclusion of discussions, the leaders broke up for dinner with no agreement reached.

Theresa May had been due to join the EU27 leaders for dinner, but was being excluded as her counterparts continued discussions over their meal.

A range of dates has been mooted by leaders - some sooner than the 30 June that Theresa May had requested - and some later, much later.

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Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage says the "prospects of a no deal are becoming remarkably higher".

"A no deal could be Mrs May's only way to save the Conservative Party," he says.

He says if a no deal doesn't happen the UK will end up taking part in the European elections - and adds that he is planning for those elections.

"If I did that huge psychological damage to David Cameron and the Conservatives back in 2014, think what could I do this year," he says.

"I would get a lot more votes this time than I did last time. A European election would do Theresa May's party a lot of damage."

More from the Petitions Committee which is running the "cancel Brexit" petition that has received more than 1.3 million signatures so far.

It says sudden spikes in signatures are causing "intermittent problems" and advises users they may have to wait 24 hours to receive a validation email.

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French political commentator Agnes Poirier says: "I think there is a feeling that if Theresa May's deal is rejected a third time the only way the EU could grant an extension - short or long - is if something major happens next week.

"For example if Theresa May resigns or if there is a motion of no confidence in the government.

"If that happens that would lead to the EU opening a longer extension.

"This makes us all suffer - there is no schadenfreude."

BBC News Channel

Conservative MP and remainer Sam Gyimah resigned from the government over Theresa May's Brexit strategy.

He says: "In some ways the negotiations that are taking place over the extension are a foretaste of what is to come if Theresa May's deal is to pass.

"Whatever we want would come at the price of what the 27 leaders wants."

Defence officials say the preparations at their Whitehall HQ are part of wider cross government action.

European Union leaders are mulling an extension until 7 May but are also considering one until the end of the year, or even leaving the date open for now, diplomatic sources tell Reuters news agency.

Katya Adler
Europe Editor

EU leaders are thinking about what they can do to avoid a no-deal Brexit - that is paramount in their minds.

One possibility is that the EU will offer a longer extension which Theresa May can shorten if she passes her deal.

This could be very problematic for the prime minister back at home.

Or if they do offer a shorter extension and come 28 March her deal hasn't passed, will EU leaders just grant a longer extension to avoid a no-deal Brexit?

Do EU leaders want to face their citizens and say we allowed a no-deal Brexit to happen?

It is a very tricky situation. We could call it squeaky bum time.

But the EU won't want to avoid a no deal at any price.