LABOUR has softened its line on Brexit still further with Jeremy Corbyn calling for the option of pushing back the date of Britain's EU departure.

Theresa May has decided to amend her flagship EU Withdrawal Bill to include the precise date Britain will quit the European Union: March 29 2019.

But during Commons exchanges when the Prime Minister won praise from both Tory Leavers and Remainers on successfully completing the first phase of the EU negotiations, the Labour leader warned the "unnecessary" deadline could force the UK Government to sign up to a withdrawal agreement which damaged the economy.

Noting how the Government originally aimed for phase one negotiations to be completed in October and that it had achieved a “rather fudged agreement late last week,” Mr Corbyn asked: “Has this experience given the Prime Minister reason to consider dropping the unnecessary exit date deadline of March 29 2019 from the EU Withdrawal Bill because I’m sure the whole House and probably the whole country would rather get the best possible deal a little bit later, if that meant a better deal for peoples’ jobs and the economy."

The Prime Minister replied: “We’re leaving the European Union on that date; that is what the British people voted for and that is what this government is going to put in place."

It is thought the two-year Article 50 process could only be extended with the agreement of the EU27.

Meanwhile, in a significant climbdown, the Government accepted changes, that will give MPs greater oversight over ministers' powers.

An amendment to the bill tabled by the cross-party Commons Procedure Committee will stop ministers simply signing changes into law through so-called Henry VIII powers. Instead a “sifting committee" of MPs will decide whether or not statutory instruments proposed by ministers need a Commons vote.