ROBIN Walker has said the short extension to the Brexit departure date negotiated with the EU is “sensible” but has again urged MPs to get behind Theresa May’s deal.

Dramatic developments began on Thursday evening when the Prime Minister appealed to EU leaders to grant Britain a delay to the original expected date this Friday, March 29.

Following talks the EU offered two deadlines - May 22 if MPs back the deal, or April 22 if they reject it a third time.

But it remains unclear whether the PM will bring back the deal - already overwhelming rejected twice - to Parliament for a third time this week after she wrote to MPs saying she would only do so if there was "sufficient support".

This week is still shaping up to be a crucial one on where the Brexit process goes next - as there could be key votes throughout the week looking at all options.

The city MP said: “I think as soon as MPs in Parliament voted for that (an extension) the PM had to follow that up.

“I have voted twice to leave with the deal on March 29, I would have preferred to have had that.

“She took the right decision to request the extension is not long - a long extension and taking part in the European election would be ridiculous.”

Mr Walker, who is also a Brexit minister, told the Worcester News indications were that a third meaningful vote on the PM’s deal would take place this week, but warned if it does not get through there are risks.

“If it does not get through there is every risk MPs in the House of Commons will try to get a long extension,” the MP said.

“And we still have not ruled out the chance of no deal - I have said I don’t want no deal.”

Asked if the PM’s criticised speech - in which she blamed MPs for the Brexit chaos last Wednesday - would make it even more difficult to get the deal through Parliament, Mr Walker conceded some MPs had been angered by it.

“But she has since said that the MPs have an important job, and she respects them,” he said.

“What she was saying is what I have heard from my constituents. She was saying we need to move forward, and not go back to square one.”

Meanwhile, a the time of writing, 7,746 people in the Worcester constituency had signed a petition calling for Brexit to be cancelled.

On Friday, the petition to revoke Article 50 had attracted more than five million signatures, with a map online showing the locations of where people were signing it nationally.

In the 2016 referendum, in Worcester 29,114 voted to leave with 25,125 voting to remain.

Figures also showed 6,317 Mid Worcestershire and 8,746 West Worcestershire constituents had signed the online petition.