POLITICIANS are preparing to vote to delay Brexit past the 29 March deadline tonight, as Prime Minister Theresa May holds a vote that would see her ask the European Union to extended Article 50.

It comes after a series of votes on Wednesday night that saw MPs rule out the option of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Both South West Wiltshire MP Andrew Murrison and Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan followed the conservative party line as three votes were made on whether to take a no deal Brexit off the table.

The first vote was on whether to amend the Prime Minister’s motion on leaving the European Union on March 29 without a deal, to reject the option of a no deal Brexit at all.

Both Dr Murrison and Ms Donelan voted with Mrs May against the amendment that would see the option of a no deal Brexit rejected outright.

The Government lost 311 to 309 and the amendment was added.

The amended motion was voted on, with MPs deciding whether to allow the United Kingdom to leave the European Union without a Withdrawal Agreement. This whipped vote saw the number of MPs rejecting a no deal Brexit rise to 321, with 278 supporting Mrs May.

Despite conservative MPs being whipped not to back it, Devizes MP Claire Perry was one of a number of Conservatives who abstained from voting and did not support the party line.

Justifying her decision, she said: "I abstained last night in the main substantive motion after consultation with the Whips. I had voted against the earlier Spelman amendment which its own author tried to withdrew believing the main Government motion was more powerful. I agreed. As that amendment very narrowly passed, the main motion then became the only opportunity to vote to prevent no deal on March 29 which is completely consistent with the governments preferred and regularly stated position. It is our policy to leave with a good deal and that is what we have.

"If Brexit is delayed as it may be after today’s votes it is entirely because so-called Brexiteers in the Commons have refused to join those of us who have consistently voted for the Prime Minister’s good deal which will deliver the best possible exit without harming millions of people’s livelihoods.

I wanted March 29 to be a day of new beginnings when we could start to focus on maximising the prospects for the UK outside the EU. Sadly that may have to wait a few weeks unless some members of Parliament stop chasing undeliverable wishes or engaging in leadership plots to destabilise our dedicated PM. We must focus on delivering the Brexit the country wants or we may end up with a prolonged delay and the possibility of a Corbyn hard left government which will bring our economy crashing back to its knees - just as yesterday’s Spring Statement showed we have finally repaired the damage of the 2008 recession and can start increasing our levels of investment in our public services."

Debate took place for over five hours in Westminster., with support for Mrs May’s motion coming from her conservative cabinet after losing her voie earlier in the week.

A vote on the Malthouse amendment, which outlines a vision that would see the government oversee a four staged plan if a no deal Brexit were to occur was voted down 374 votes to 164.

Speaking ahead of the vote, Ms Donelan said: “I will not vote to take no deal off the table, this is our key negotiating tool, to do so would be foolhardy. It is clear to me that I stood on a manifesto to leave the EU and that is what we should do, so I will not vote for an extension either unless there is a do able plan which we don’t have at the moment.”

Dr Murrison took to Twitter to vent and said: “Yesterday voted for Withdrawal Agreement. Today voted against taking no deal off table. Tomorrow will vote for no extension unless v short & technical. Prospect of Brexit retreating faster than Darius from Alexander.”

Although not legally binding, the vote shows the Houses of Parliament do not want Mrs May to consider the possibility of leaving with no deal.