Jeremy Corbyn should meet Theresa May, says Labour MP Owen Smith

Theresa May spoke outside of Downing Street after meeting Plaid Cymru and others on Wednesday

Jeremy Corbyn should take up the offer of Brexit talks with Theresa May, a senior Welsh Labour MP has said.

Owen Smith spoke after the prime minister offered to meet opposition leaders following the failure of Labour's no confidence vote.

The prime minister survived despite losing a vote on her Brexit deal the day before in a historic defeat.

While the Labour leader did not see Mrs May, Plaid Cymru did. The PM said the meeting was "constructive".

After the vote Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said parliament should either unite around a softer Brexit or put the issue back to the public in a new referendum.

• May's government survives no confidence vote

• May should quit after defeat - Drakeford

• Brexit: What could happen next?

On Wednesday night Theresa May saw off a bid to bring down her government, winning a no confidence vote in the House of Commons by 325 to 306.

Mrs May then offered to meet the leaders of other parliamentary parties to discuss the way ahead for Brexit.

But Mr Corbyn, who tabled the no confidence motion, said that before any "positive discussions" could take place the prime minister should rule out a no-deal Brexit.

Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns said he was "disappointed" Mr Corbyn did not meet the PM.

Owen Smith said Labour had been "rightly criticising the prime minister for failing to reach out"

Owen Smith, who is among those in Labour calling for a further referendum on the EU, said it was "completely legitimate" for Jeremy Corbyn to say Mrs May "should take no deal off the table".

He said there is a majority in the Commons "that understands no deal is a complete catastrophe for our country".

But the Pontypridd MP added: "We've been calling on her to sit down with us haven't we, rightly criticising the prime minister for failing to reach out to people.

"If she is now reaching out I think we need to respond to that in good faith, and sit down and make the case for her taking no deal off the table, make the case for a customs union, and in my view make the case for a People's Vote.

"She has terrified a lot of people in the country with all of this talk of a crisis that would come from no deal. She ought to recognise that and be confronted by Corbyn about that. I think that would be the right thing for Labour to do."

On BBC Wales Live Nia Griffith, the Labour MP for Llanelli, backed Mr Corbyn's position.

She said: "The prime minister needs to rule out no deal so that we can genuinely see that she is willing to listen".

Jeremy Corbyn wants no deal taken off the table before he speaks to Theresa May

Liz Saville Roberts, Plaid Cymru Westminster leader, met Mrs May in the House of Commons on Wednesday night.

She said: "We approached these discussions in a constructive manner. I told the Prime Minister, however, that this must not be a meeting for a meeting's sake.

"We are committed to finding a real solution to the Brexit mess. That means taking a no deal Brexit off the table and a People's Vote on our European future."

A Plaid Cymru source said there was a "fair and frank exchange of views" and extending Article 50 - the mechanism that triggers the UK's departure from the EU - was discussed.

Conservative MP David Davies had supported Theresa May's Brexit deal

The Conservative MP for Monmouth David Davies had voted for the Brexit deal on Tuesday, but in an interview with BBC Wales Live said he now had changed his mind.

The Brexit campaigner told BBC Wales Live: "There is no mood now for any form of compromise. I was 100% in favour of pulling out of the EU, but I recognised that not everyone shared that view.

"What we have over the next few weeks and months is a parliamentary fist-fight between those who want to have a clean, hard, WTO Brexit - and I stand with them - and those who want to stay in the European Union and forget about what the referendum said."

Theresa May's Brexit deal aims to leave the European Union in agreement with the 27 remaining states.

But it makes compromises, including the backstop insurance plan which would put the UK and EU in a single customs territory as a way to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland.

Plaid Cymru's Liz Saville Roberts met Theresa May on Wednesday night

Supporters of what is known as a hard Brexit believe it would be better for the UK to leave without an agreement, relying on existing World Trade Organisation rules and allowing it to have a fully independent trade policy.

Opponents of that say it would be disastrous for the British economy.

Mark Drakeford appeared to nudge towards supporting a further referendum on Brexit in a statement issued following the vote of no confidence.

The Welsh Labour leader said: "In my view, the options for resolving the crisis facing our country are narrowing.

"Either Parliament unites around a proposal for a much 'softer' form of Brexit, similar to that set out in our White Paper Securing Wales' Future, or the question must be put back to the people to decide the terms on which we leave or whether to remain in the EU.

"Parliament should be given the time and space to resolve which of these options is most viable."

Welsh MPs voted along party lines on Wednesday night.

A total of 26 Labour and 4 Plaid Cymru MPs backed the no confidence motion, excluding Jessica Morden who was a teller for the Ayes, and Paul Flynn who has not been attending the Commons due to illness.

The government was backed by the eight Welsh Tory MPs.