Europe’s leaders want to negotiate with Theresa May — and NOT British MPs over Brexit

EUROPE’S leaders sided with Theresa May to insist they wanted to negotiate with her and not MPs.

In a surprise move, EU bosses at a summit with the PM were swift to come to her rescue over her titanic Brexit stand off with the House of Commons.

Mrs May said she was “disappointed” with losing the dramatic vote on Wednesday evening that means MPs could now rip up any final Brexit deal she seals with Brussels.

But refusing to be bowed, she insisted the government is still “on course to deliver on Brexit” despite the humiliating defeat.

She refused to rule out making more concessions to appease pro-EU Tory rebels.

She also insisted: "We've had 36 votes on the EU Withdrawal Bill and we've won 35 of them”.

In a blow to rebel MPs’ hopes of sending Mrs May back to strike a better deal, Luxembourg's PM Xavier Bettel insisted: "To think Theresa May will negotiate something, we will negotiate something and then again she will go back to Westminster is not good for the position of the negotiations.

"Westminster should trust that Theresa May will do the best for the UK.”

An aide to French president Emmanuel Macron added: “Mrs May is our main negotiating partner.

“It's obvious that we will not renegotiate new amendments after striking the deal."

And Dutch Premier Mark Rutte said May still had a "formidable stature", saying the agreement on the divorce deal "showed you should not underestimate her".

Their warm support delighted Downing Street.

It was also taken as an important sign that, despite her huge challenges, EU leaders now see Mrs May as their best bet for delivering the least disruptive Brexit.

Mrs May also last night called on EU leaders to start trade talks as soon as possible.

Asking them to show “ambition and creativity” during the summit’s dinner in Brussels, she told them she “makes no secret of wanting to move on to the next phase”.

Once they rubber stamp ‘sufficient progress’ on a divorce deal today (FRI), Europe’s other 27 leaders will set a time line for Phase Two of the negotiations.

But the bosses are split on whether to insist on a transition deal to be done by March first, or run trade and transition talks simultaneously from January.

Mrs May also confirmed the UK will continue to participate in the EU's Erasmus student exchange programme at least until the end of 2020.