Manic Monday: Britain plunges deeper into Brexit crisis

Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, said "It would be naive to think that the other 27 EU member states would be open" to substantial changes to the backstop and wider exit plan after months of fractious back-and-forth negotiations.

 "And any significant redrafting of the provision concerning Northern Ireland is unlikely because many EU capitals already see the final shape of the backstop as a compromise," she added.

"Brussels is looking at all of what is happening in Westminster with amazement - the UK used to be seen as a down-to-earth, sensible partner and all of a sudden that's gone."