British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she aims to ask for a further extension to the Brexit process to allow the UK to leave the European Union "in a timely and orderly way".

Mrs May offered to hold talks with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to agree a plan acceptable to both, which can be put to the House of Commons ahead of the summit of the European Council on 10 April.

In response, Mr Corbyn said this evening that he would be "very happy" to meet Mrs May.

Speaking in 10 Downing Street after a marathon session of Cabinet lasting more than seven hours, Mrs May said that any further delay to Brexit should be "as short as possible".

She said a bill to pave the way for departure would have to be in place by 22 May to ensure the UK did not have to take part in European Parliament elections.

"I have always been clear that we could make a success of no-deal in the long term, but leaving with a deal is the best solution," she said.

"So we will need a further extension of Article 50 - one that is as short as possible and which ends when we pass a deal.

"And we need to be clear what such an extension is for: to ensure we leave in a timely and orderly way.

"This debate, this division, cannot drag on much longer."

Setting out her plan for talks with Mr Corbyn, Mrs May said: "Today I'm taking action to break the logjam.

"The ideal outcome of this process would be to agree an approach on a future relationship that delivers on the result of the referendum, that both the leader of the opposition and I could put to the house for approval and which I could then take to next week's European Council.

"However, if we cannot agree on the single unified approach, then we would instead agree a number of options for the future relationship that we could put to the house in a series of votes to determine which course to pursue.

"Crucially, the Government stands ready to abide by the decision of the house. But to make this process work, the opposition would need to agree to this too.

"Any plan would have to agree the current Withdrawal Agreement - it has already been negotiated with the 27 other members and the EU has repeatedly said it cannot and will not be re-opened."

Standing at a lectern with the government crest, before two union flags, the prime minister added: "This is a decisive moment in the story of these islands and it will require national unity to deliver the national interest."

Mr Corbyn said: "We will meet the prime minister. We recognise that she has made a move.

"I recognise my responsibility to represent the people that supported Labour in the last election and the people who didn't support Labour, but nevertheless want certainty and security for their own future, and that's the basis on which we will meet her and we will have those discussions."

He added: "However people voted in the referendum in 2016, whether they voted remain or they voted leave, they didn't vote for lower living standards, they didn't vote to lose their jobs.

"And actually there's far more that unites people on both sides about the kind of society we can be than divides them."

The Press Association is reporting ministers were said to be split 14-10 against asking for a long extension to the Brexit process at the meeting, which one source described as "divisive" and "tense".

The 14 opposed to a long extension were Gavin Williamson, Liam Fox, Liz Truss, Sajid Javid, Chris Grayling, Jeremy Wright, Andrea Leadsom, Jeremy Hunt, James Brokenshire, Baroness Evans, Stephen Barclay, Alun Cairns and Brandon Lewis.

The ten in favour are understood to be David Gauke, Matt Hancock, Philip Hammond, Greg Clark, David Lidington, Damian Hinds, Claire Perry, Michael Gove, Amber Rudd and Geoffrey Cox.

Attorney General Mr Cox's decision to back an extension was the "key intervention", a source said.

Chancellor Philip Hammond called for a general election or second referendum to resolve the Brexit issue, the source said.

The European Research Group of Brexiteer Tories was holding a meeting as Mrs May made her statement.

A source in the room told the Press Association: "We had her speech on the telly at the start of the meeting.

"It did not go down well."

Later, ERG member Jacob Rees-Mogg said he "didn't whoop and holler with delight", but neither did he expect "a glorious outcome" from the prime minister's statement.

He said he had been willing to accept a "second-rate" Brexit than to hold out for something "perfect" and end up with no Brexit.

However, when asked if he could back a deal struck with Mr Corbyn, he told journalists: "Well, I wouldn't hold your breath - I'm not a Marxist in case you hadn't noticed."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted: "It is very disappointing that the cabinet has decided to entrust the final handling of Brexit to Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party."

Mr Johnson continued: "It now seems all too likely that British trade policy and key law making powers will be handed over to Brussels - with no say for the UK."

In a statement, the DUP expressed disappointment at tonight's developments.

"The Prime Minister's lamentable handling of the negotiations with the EU means she has failed to deliver a sensible Brexit deal that works for all parts of the United Kingdom. That is why she has not been able to get it through parliament.

"Her announcement therefore tonight comes as little surprise," it said.

"Though it remains to be seen if sub-contracting out the future of Brexit to Jeremy Corbyn, someone whom the Conservatives have demonised for four years, will end happily.

"We want the result of the referendum respected, and just as we joined the Common Market as one country we must leave the EU as one country.

"We will continue to use our position within parliament and with the government to argue strongly the case for Northern Ireland and the integrity of the United Kingdom."

It added: "We remain consistent in judging all Brexit outcomes against our clear unionist principles."

EU president Donald Tusk responded cautiously to Mrs May's statement, saying: "Even if, after today, we don't know what the end result will be, let us be patient."

The European Parliament Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt said on Twitter that it was good that Mrs May was looking for a cross-party compromise.

"Better late than never," he said.

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