Nearly three years since Britain voted 52% to 48% to leave the European Union, the beleaguered May made one last pitch on Tuesday to get her divorce deal approved by the British parliament before her crisis-riven premiership ends.

She offered a parliamentary vote on whether to hold a second Brexit referendum – once her legislation passes the first stage – as well as closer trading arrangements with the EU in future as incentives to what she called the only way to prevent a disruptive “no-deal” Brexit.

But the backlash was swift and fierce.

Theresa May