CLACTON MP Giles Watling told the Prime Minister he would vote against her Brexit deal ahead of her decision to delay a vote in Parliament on the withdrawal agreement.

Last week Mr Watling said he would vote against Theresa May’s deal if an “indefinite backstop” was not removed from the final agreement.

The Conservative MP has hit out at plans for the backstop, which would means the UK would remain in a new customs union with the European Union if an agreement is not in place by the end of the transition period in 2020.

Mrs May called off Tuesday’s vote on her Brexit deal so she can return to the EU to ask for further changes.

Speaking following Mrs May’s decision, Mr Watling said: “The vote on the Brexit deal has now been delayed, and discussions with the EU will resume.

“In reaching this decision, the Prime Minister has heard my concerns, and those of my colleagues, about the backstop – an indefinite insurance mechanism to be activated if no future relationship agreement with the EU is in place before the transition period ends.

“When active, the backstop will also maintain the jurisdiction of the ECJ (European Court of Justice) in some areas, and this is simply unacceptable – a point that I raised with the Prime Minister on Monday.

“So, to address those concerns, the Prime Minister will now seek to secure further assurances from the EU that we will not be trapped in the backstop forever, should it be required.

“Unfortunately, I do not believe that this will be enough to fully address my concerns, or those of my constituents – warm words and assurances are not the same as a cast iron guarantee that the backstop will not be needed.

“My position, therefore, remains the same and I cannot support this deal as it stands.

“My support depends on the Government securing an absolute, legally binding, guarantee that an agreement on our future relationship will be in place before the transition period ends – this is the only way to negate the need for the backstop, and a deal during transition is doable.

“This is also the only way to ensure that we are, in good time, free from the dominion of the EU, which is what the majority of my constituents want.”

Mr Watling added that a ‘no deal’ would be “disastrous” and is not what constituents or businesses want.

East of England MEP Alex Mayer told the European Parliament in Strasbourg that Theresa May is “living in cloud cuckoo land”.

She added  “We going from helping make the rules, to just abiding by them.

"A £39 billion divorce bill but huge decisions about the future left unanswered.

"Out of the customs unions, out of Galileo, a loss of rights to travel freely for work and leisure, farmers facing a shortage of seasonal workers, I could go on.

"Whichever way people voted two years ago, nobody voted for this shambles, mess and turmoil.” ​