MPs have denied Boris Johnson approval for his Brexit deal by voting to delay the decisive vote until the withdrawal agreement has been fully implemented into law.

The House of Commons backed an amendment by former Conservative, Sir Oliver Letwin, to withhold approval for the deal by 322 votes to 306 - a majority of 16.

It means the Prime Minister is obliged by law to write to the EU by 11pm on Saturday requesting a three-month Brexit delay - but he indicated after the vote he would not do so.

Speaking to MPs, Johnson said: "I will not negotiate a delay with the EU and neither does the law compel me to do so."

He went on: "Alas, the opportunity to have a meaningful vote has effectively been passed up because the meaningful vote has been voided of meaning.

"But I wish the House to know that I am not daunted or dismayed by this particular result and I think it probably became likely once it became obvious that the amendment from (Letwin) was going to remain on the order paper.

"I continue in the very strong belief that the best thing for the UK, and for the whole of Europe is for us to leave with this new deal on October 31...

"I will not negotiate a delay with the EU."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "Today is a historic day for Parliament because it has said it will not be blackmailed by a Prime Minister who is apparently prepared once again to defy a law passed this Parliament.

"I invite him to think very carefully about the remarks he just made about refusing apparently to apply for the extension which the EU No. 2 Act requires him to do."

Sir Oliver, a former Tory minister who had the party whip withdrawn after rebelling on Brexit in September, described his amendment as an "insurance policy" to ensure the UK does not "crash out" of the EU on October 31 without a deal.

Under the terms of the so-called Benn Act, if he does not have parliament's agreement on a deal on Saturday, the Prime Minister is required to seek a further Article 50 extension until the end of January.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon branded the withdrawal agreement a "bad deal" and said Johnson was on a "losing run".

It is expected that government whips will now order Conservative MPs home without voting on the the main motion to approve the deal.

Ministers have signalled that they will press ahead with plans to table the legislation next week with a view to securing Britain's departure by the end of the month.

Commons leader Jacob Rees Mogg said the government is planning to give MPs a chance to have a meaningful vote on the Prime Minister's Brexit deal on Monday.