RORY Stewart says the Prime Minister’s decision to delay Brexit further is ‘absolutely right’.

The Penrith and the Border MP spoke after Theresa May revealed she wanted to to extend Article 50, the tool by which the country will leave the EU.

Mrs May yesterday pledged to sit down with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to help find a way forward.

Mr Stewart told the News & Star: “The Prime Minister’s decision is absolutely right and is completely essential.

“It would have been so damaging and unnecessary to have crashed into a no-deal Brexit.

“We can, and must, do this deal properly and strategically.

“I’m deeply proud that pragmatism and practical reasoning has won the day.”

Mr Stewart added that it would be ‘devastating’ if Britain crashed out of the EU with no deal, and said that scenario would have a negative impact on farmers and small manufacturers who export their goods and livestock abroad.

“If we leave Europe with a no deal, we would still have to negotiate trade deals with other countries.

“This process would then take another two years of horror, and would be done against a backdrop of economic uncertainty.

“Theresa May’s decision to delay Brexit it is a brave thing to do. In the long run, it is the only way to get a solution.”

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement, Mr Corbyn said he would be happy to meet with her.

He said: “We recognise that she has made a move, I recognise my responsibility to represent the people that supported Labour in the last election and the people who didn’t support Labour, but nevertheless want certainty and security for their own future and that’s the basis on which we will meet her and we will have those discussions.”

The Labour leader added: “However people voted in the referendum in 2016, whether they voted remain or they voted leave, they didn’t vote for lower living standards, they didn’t vote to lose their jobs.”

Mrs May said: “The ideal outcome would be to agree an approach on a future relationship that delivers on the result of the referendum, that both the Leader of the Opposition and I could put to the House for approval and which I could then take to next week’s European Council.”