Theresa May has confirmed she is intends to postpone Tuesday's meaningful vote on her Brexit deal.

The Prime Minister is addressing MPs at Westminster on the day before the crunch Commons vote was due to take place.

She said her deal would have suffered a heavy defeat due to concerns from MPs over the backstop.

May said the vote would be "deferred" until after she has attempted to wring concessions from European leaders ahead of Thursday's European Council summit in Brussels.

The Speaker of the House said it would be "discourteous" for ministers to unilaterally delay the vote without giving MPs a say.

But May's spokesman later confirmed a parliamentary procedure would be used to put the two days of debate and final vote off to a later date, still to be decided.

The Prime Minister told MPs: "I have listened very carefully to what has been said in this chamber and out of it by Members from all sides.

"From listening to those views it is clear that while there is broad support for key aspects of the deal, on one issue, the Northern Ireland backstop, there remains widespread and deep concern.

"As a result, if we went ahead tomorrow it would be rejected by a significant margin."

The Prime Minister added: "It's clear that this House faces a much more fundamental question: does this House want to deliver Brexit?"

In rowdy scenes at the Commons, MPs replied with loud shouts of "No", which apparently came from the SNP benches.

"A clear message from the SNP," responded May. "But if the House does, does it want to do so through reaching an agreement with the EU?

"If the answer is yes, and I believe that is the answer of the majority of this House, then we all have to as ourselves whether we're prepared to make a compromise."

May also told the Commons that the UK Government was stepping up preparations for a no-deal Brexit.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said she was "trying to buy herself one last chance".

He said: "If the Prime Minister cannot be clear that she can and will renegotiate a deal then she must make way.

"The Prime Minister is trying to buy herself one last chance to save this deal.

"If she doesn't take on board the fundamental changes required then she must make way for those who can."

The SNP's deputy Westminster leader Kirsty Blackman lambasted May for a "stunning display of pathetic cowardice".

She told MPs: "The events of the past few hours have highlighted that this is a government is in a total state of collapse.

"The Prime Minister is being forced to pull tomorrow's vote in a stunning display of pathetic cowardice.

"The vote tomorrow night would have shown the will of this House but this government is focused on saving the Prime Minister's job, and her party, instead of doing what's right for the country."

Speaker John Bercow intervened to state his view that any adjournment to the meaningful vote and the two days of debate that were planned should be agreed by MPs.

He said: "Halting the debate after no fewer than 164 colleagues have taken the trouble to contribute will be thought by many Members of this House to be deeply discourteous.

"Indeed, in the hours since news of this intention emerged, many colleagues from across the House have registered that view to me in the most forceful terms."

The Prime Minister's official spokesman explained the procedure by which the Brexit vote will be deferred.

When the Commons clerk reads out the orders of the day on Monday evening, the Government whip will call out "tomorrow".

This puts off the two remaining days of debate and any votes until a date yet to be fixed.

There is no requirement for vote on this procedure, said the spokesman.

Shortly before beginning her statement, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she had just concluded a phone call with the Prime Minister.

The First Minister tweeted: "Just off call with PM.

"Expressed my deep frustration that the interests of a divided Tory party are taking priority over the interests of country and that delaying the vote is an abdication of responsibility, leading to even greater chaos."