SQUABBLING MPs today voted to block Britain's EU exit AGAIN as they defeated Theresa May's deal for the third time - on the very day we were supposed to leave at last.

The Commons defeated the PM's bid to leave the EU on May 22, by 58 votes - plunging the country into the worst chaos yet.

The Government is now likely to request a long delay to Brexit, lasting up to a year and casting doubt on whether we will ever leave.

Mrs May's loss also ramps up the chances of a snap election dragging Brits back to the polls for the third time in four years.

The result - putting Brexit in doubt - will spark huge anger directed at all sides from furious voters who just want to see Britain out of the EU.

The Government, hardline Remainers, Brexiteer rebels and the DUP will all be blamed for dooming the PM's deal to defeat three times over.

Speaking minutes before the vote, Mrs May hit back at claims she should never have announced a third vote on the agreement because it's doomed to failure.

The PM told Parliament: "Today should have been the day that the United Kingdom left the European Union.

"That we're not leaving today is a matter of deep personal regret to me but I remain committed to the UK leaving the European Union.

"There are those who say you're probably going to lose today, so why bother? I bother because this is the last opportunity to guarantee Brexit.

"If we do not vote for this motion today, people will ask - why did you not vote for Brexit?"

Mrs May hit out at claims her deal is a "blind Brexit", insisting it's a "guaranteed Brexit" which takes Britain out of the EU on May 22 and avoids a year-long delay to the process.

She added: "Today we can give the public and business the certainty they need. Today we can show we stand by our word.

"Today we can show we can come together in the national interest. Today we can take a step forward together."

The PM concluded: "When the division bell rings, every one of us will have to look into our hearts and decide what's best for our constituents and for our country."

Mrs May received a glimmer of hope this morning as a key group of Labour MPs hinted they could be won over at the last minute - while ex-Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab also came on side.

Half a dozen of Jeremy Corbyn's MPs from pro-Leave seats suggested they will back the deal if the Tories allow Parliament a say during future trade talks with Europe.

As the Commons debate started this morning, Boris confirmed he WILL vote for the deal despite denouncing it over and over again.

He said: "Today is the day we promised the country we would leave the European Union. I bitterly regret that we have failed to keep that promise. Instead we will today vote on the withdrawal agreement.

"I have been and remain intensely critical of the deal. But we have a choice to make now, and that means choosing between options that actually exist.

"I have come to the sad conclusion that neither this government nor this parliament is willing to leave with No Deal. We therefore run the risk of being forced to accept an even worse version of Brexit or losing Brexit altogether.

"It is very painful to vote for this deal. But I hope we can now work together to remedy its defects, avoid the backstop trap and strive to deliver the Brexit people voted for."

He was joined in his support for today's motion by Dominic Raab, who quit as Brexit Secretary in protest at the deal last November.

Mr Raab told Parliament this afternoon: "I still believe it to be a bad deal. But we potentially now face an even worse alternative that could reverse Brexit and betray our democracy.

"Anger is not a political strategy - we must assess the specific and tangible decision before us."

THIRD TIME LUCKY?
The Commons will have a third say on the deal at 2.30pm today, having knocked it down twice before.

This time they will be voting only on the withdrawal agreement without the attached "political declaration".

Opening the debate this morning, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox warned it was the "last opportunity" to secure the country's exit from the EU.

But the DUP's Sammy Wilson hit back, storming: "Why would we vote today for a con trick that breaks up the United Kingdom?"

If the deal goes through, Britain will be on course to quit the EU on May 22 - eight weeks later than originally planned.

But if it doesn't, EU leaders will hold a summit to thrash out a delay which could end up lasting five years, a source told the Daily Mail.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said last night: "If we don’t pass this tomorrow then we don’t have a way to leave on May 22, and the only way forward then would be to apply for a substantial extension."

Liam Fox blasted: "We were meant to leave today, and we should have been leaving at 11 o'clock tonight!

"I fear for the consequences if Parliament chooses to utterly ignore a promise that they made directly to the voters."

Michael Howard, the ex-Tory leader and passionate Brexiteer, called on MPs to give in and back the PM's deal.

He told LBC: "We were told we were going to leave today, I wanted to leave today and I expected to leave today so this is a very sad day.

"If you weigh up the balance of risks, the least risky is her deal and I beg MPs to vote for it."

Iain Duncan Smith added: "It's time for us to take a decision, which is we want to leave."

He said that after Mrs May quits, a Brexiteer leader should take over to lead the future trade negotiations.

And in a boost for the PM, a new poll of Tory party members found a majority now want MPs to back the deal.

A YouGov poll found Brexit voters now want to see the deal pass - although the public as a whole is still marginally opposed.

In the past 24 hours a number of key Brexiteers have come round, including Anne Marie Trevelyan, Mark Harper, Crispin Blunt and Ross Thomson - as well as Labour's Ronnie Campbell.

The first "meaningful vote" was defeated by 230 votes in January, with the margin of defeat cut to 149 earlier this month.

But even after winning the support of big beasts such as Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg, Mrs May is still expected to lose for a third time.

DUP boss Arlene Foster blasted today: "This is a bad deal. We cannot vote for a deal, including a backstop arrangement, which could undermine the Union."

Steve Baker, the Brexiteers' shop steward, added: "If the backstop was not an indefinite threat to the Union and our self-government, I would choke down the rest of the agreement with a new PM for the sake of moving forward."

If the deal falls today, Remainer MPs will make a second bid to whip up a majority for a soft Brexit on Monday.

Plans to keep Britain in the EU customs union failed by just six votes on Wednesday night.

Rebel ringleaders believe they can get a majority of MPs behind the scheme in a second round of "indicative votes" next week.