Brexit delay if no deal by mid-March, says Welsh Tory MP

Brexit should be delayed by two months if Parliament has not approved a deal by 13 March, a Welsh Tory MP has said.

Simon Hart is considering tabling an amendment in the Commons that would postpone the UK leaving the EU until 23 May.

The plan to extend Article 50 would be "strictly time limited", the MP insisted.

Theresa May says she remains "focused" on leaving the EU on 29 March, despite calls from her own party for a delay.

On Wednesday, MPs will get another chance to put forward a range of amendments in the Commons to show what direction they want Brexit to take.

The UK is due to leave the European Union by March 29, with or without a deal.

• May 'focused' on scheduled Brexit date

• Pressure on PM to consider delay

Mr Hart conceded his amendment was "a bit vague", but added: "What we're trying to do is test the water at this stage to see if there are any colleagues out there who are nervous about seeing Brexit disappear altogether, nervous about seeing an open ended sort of deadline and who might want to put a time limit on it.

"We've suggested 23 May - that's not set in stone just to give a little bit more time to get the negotiation over the line but also extra time if necessary for a no deal outcome if that is where all of this ended up."

When MPs come to vote on the Brexit deal, the Speaker decides which amendments get debated and voted on.

Mr Hart was asked to rate his chances of success. The Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP said: "50/50 would be me being optimistic."