Theresa May has abandoned her plan to request a lengthy delay to Brexit of up to two years after a threatened revolt from her Cabinet.
The prime minister had been intending to write to European Council President Donald Tusk on Wednesday to demand both a short extension of around three months as well as a lengthier extension of up to two years.
However, Downing Street sources confirmed on Wednesday morning that the prime minister would no longer be seeking the lengthier extension after members of her Cabinet reportedly threatened to resign.
“[The prime minister] won’t be asking for a long extension,” a senior government official reported .
“There is a case for giving parliament a bit more time to agree a way forward, but the people of this country have been waiting nearly three years now.
“They are fed up with Parliaments failure to take a decision and the PM shares their frustration.”
The prime minister will publish her letter to Tusk later On Wednesday. It is expected to contain a request for an extension of the two-year Article 50 process, until the end of June.
Downing Street had been planning to also seek a lengthier extension as part of a plan to persuade Brexiteer Conservative MPs to back her deal before the end of the original Article 50 process, due to finish on March 29.