FALMOUTH and Truro MP Sarah Newton has resigned from the Government in the wake of the latest defeat for Prime Minister Theresa May.

In a first vote on Wednesday MPs rejected allowing a 'no deal' Brexit by 312 votes to 308.

The second, confirmatory, vote saw that widen to 321 votes to 278.

It led Conservative work and pensions minister Mrs Newton to hand the Prime Minister her letter of resignation from the Government.

Mrs Newton said on Wednesday night: "At the last general election I was given a mandate by my constituents to deliver Brexit, with an orderly transition to a new, close and special relationship with the EU.

"To deliver Brexit with ‘a deal’ not a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

"I believe the Withdrawal Agreement and the Future Political Declaration deliver on that manifesto pledge and will continue to support it.

"Today, I resigned from the Government so that I could vote for a motion that honours my commitment to my constituents, to leave the EU with ‘a deal’.

"Like many of my constituents, I have been inspired by the personal courage and resilience of the Prime Minister and will continue to support her Herculean effort to secure enough support from across the House to leave the EU with a deal."

Mrs Newton was made Minister of State at the Department for Work and Pensions in November 2017.

Later on Thursday, MPs are set to vote on whether to keep Britain in the EU longer than planned after Mrs May's authority over Brexit sustained the latest major blow on Wednesday.

After the defeat, Mrs May made it clear that she intends to put a third “meaningful vote” on her Brexit deal to the Commons within days.

Following the Commons move on no deal, the Government put down a motion for debate on Thursday that offers to seek a one-off extension of Article 50, delaying the scheduled Brexit date of March 29 to June 30 if MPs approve the deal negotiated with the EU by next Wednesday.

However, the PM warned if the deal – which has already been twice rejected by overwhelming majorities – is not approved, a longer extension will be needed, requiring Britain to take part in the European Parliament elections in May.

“I do not think that would be the right outcome,” the Prime Minister said.

“But the House needs to face up to the consequences of the decisions it has taken.”