CLACTON MP Giles Watling has told residents he will not back plans to extend Brexit negotiations.

Prime Minister Theresa May promised MPs a vote on extending negotiations or withdrawing from the EU without a deal if her plan is rejected next month.

Mrs May confirmed that she will put her Withdrawal Agreement - including whatever additional assurances she has secured from Brussels - to a “meaningful vote” by March 12.

If that fails, MPs will be offered two separate votes on the following days - one on a no-deal Brexit and, if that is defeated, the other on requesting an extension to the two-year Article 50 negotiation process to delay EU withdrawal beyond March 29.

Mr Watling said: “I will not back any delay to the Article 50 process, nor will I vote for a second referendum – whatever is on the ballot paper.

“I also maintain that we must not take the no deal option off the table, and I will not support any efforts to do so, as no sane person would be in a negotiation without the ability to walk away.

“70 per cent of my constituents voted for Brexit, as did a majority of voters across the country.

“Following that, 60 per cent of local residents voted for me when I campaigned to deliver on the result of the referendum – incidentally, a further 25 per cent supported a Labour candidate who promised the same.

“So, there is an overwhelming local mandate to leave the European Union. Even as someone who voted remain, I recognise that strength of feeling and have always wanted to deliver on the referendum result.

“I have also always sought to represent the views of my constituents, as I best understand them from the correspondence I have received and the conversations I have been having.

“That is why I informed the Whips Office that I would not be able to support the withdrawal agreement, unless we had significant movement from the EU on the continuing jurisdiction of the ECJ and on the backstop, from which we must be able to unilaterally withdraw.

“And despite the noise emanating from Westminster, I am clear that we must leave on March 29, with or without a deal, as this date of exit is already established in statute.

“I’m determined to deliver Brexit within that timeframe and don’t believe my colleagues should do anything to delay or frustrate our departure. As a country, we need to move on.”

Mrs May told MPs she does not want to see Article 50 extended and her focus is on working to get a deal and leaving on March 29.

Labour Essex MEP Alex Mayer said: "What the country really needed tonight was a meaningful vote on the actual Brexit deal but Theresa May has dithered again to irresponsibly let more time tick down.

"What’s vital now is to stop that clock ticking. Why the country is being forced to wait until nearly halfway through March for Parliament to have the opportunity to vote to rule out 'No Deal' and extend Article 50 is beyond me. This should happen right now."