Theresa May warns not to expect a quick Brexit breakthrough as she arrives in Brussels

Theresa May played down the chances of a Brexit breakthrough as she arrived in Brussels for the latest EU summit.

Speaking the day after surviving a vote of no confidence from disgruntled Tory MPs, the Prime Minister said she heard “loud and clear” why the 117 who voted against her are unhappy with her leadership.

The PM is set to address EU leaders this afternoon, where she will make a plea for more assurances that a UK-wide customs union would only ever be a temporary solution for post-Brexit trade.

Speaking to reporters, May described Wednesday as a “difficult day”, adding: “I’m grateful for the significant support I had from colleagues. But I have also heard loud and clear the concerns of those who didn’t feel about to support me, and I know the concerns there are in the House of Commons about this issue of the backstop, that they do not want it to be permanent.”

She added: "I don't expect an immediate breakthrough but what I do hope is that we can start work as quickly as possible on the assurances that are necessary.”

Other leaders arriving at the summit underlined the difficulty facing May, with many telling journalists that giving additional legal guarantees could not happen without reopening the withdrawal agreement – something they were not prepared to countenance.

Dutch PM Mark Rutte argued the backstop was only needed because of the conditions set out by May in the Brexit negotiations.

He said: "The deal is there because of the red lines the UK itself drew: no border in the Irish Sea, no membership of the customs union, no free movement of people.

"So this is the only deal possible, the best deal for both the UK and the EU given those red lines.

"The big issue is now the backstop. So we have to demystify that, get clarity on what it means, and why all of us don’t want it to be triggered."

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz repeated the EU line that the agreed deal would not be reopened, but added: "There is also some room to have a better interpretation of what we agreed on, but there will be no new deal about the withdrawal agreement."

May delayed on a Commons vote on her Brexit deal on Tuesday, but has vowed to bring it back to MPs before January 21.

Reacting to May's comments in Brussels, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “It is clear there will be no changes to the deal the Prime Minister brought back last month. Theresa May herself says she isn’t expecting a breakthrough.

“There must be no more dither and delay, or attempts to run down the clock in an attempt to deny parliament alternative options."