Stuck in the muddle with EU: What the papers say as MPs vote to seize control of Brexit agenda

Britain’s national newspapers have given their verdicts after MPs voted to seize control of the Brexit agenda.

Last night’s vote, and the resignation of three ministers, fuelled speculation over an impending general election.

Three pro-EU ministers quit the Government and Theresa May acknowledged she still did not have enough support for her deal to justify a third “meaningful vote”.

With questions circulating over Mrs May’s future as Prime Minister, the papers have had plenty to consider before their Tuesday morning editions went to print.

The Times warned that the country is “sliding towards further stalemate” as Mrs May struggles to keep hold of power.

Its front page said the Prime Minister was “humiliated” as MPs backed a plan to hold votes on alternatives to her deal, while its leader says she remains PM “in name only”.

“Yet parliament’s attempt to take control could yet plunge the country into even deeper crisis,” it cautioned.

“The reality is that unless parliament votes to accept Mrs May’s deal this week, parliament and the government are likely to face a stalemate,” it added.

The Daily Telegraph’s front page suggested Mrs May has been left “powerless” by the outcome of the Commons vote, describing it as “a plot to seize agenda on deciding path for Brexit”.

In its leader, the paper criticised the PM for the fact Brexit will not be happening on Friday, calling it a “monumental failure of the political process”.

Reflecting on the confusion over how things may now unfold, it wrote: “We may be leaving without a deal on May 21; more likely we will be staying in for longer.

“Possibly, we will not be leaving at all. We just don’t know because the Government has lost control of matters.”

The Daily Mail warned that MPs seizing control of the Brexit agenda will only see the divorce deal get softer – and describes the possibility of a general election as an “equally unappealing alternative”.

“For the Brexiteers, the ship is finally sailing,” it added. “If they don’t get on board, they risk losing the deal, the Government and their country. It could not be more imperative that they come to their senses.”

Meanwhile, The Sun’s front page suggested Mrs May has hinted at quitting in exchange for MPs passing her deal. Inside, the paper stressed that her deal “cannot be abandoned”, calling it “the only exit door”.

“All MPs face a simple choice: Honour the referendum, or unleash chaos. Stop pretending. Pick one,” it urged.

The Metro takes a more light-hearted approach to the latest developments, running with the headline: “Stuck in the muddle with EU”.

And the Daily Express took a stronger stance, saying the Prime Minister has been warned that Remainer MPs have “stolen what’s left of Brexit”.