THERESA May urged MPs to give her Brexit deal a 'second look' claiming its rejection would be a "subversion of democracy".
The Prime Minister in a Commons statement urged MPs to think how history will judge them while admitting she was aware that MPs want a unilateral exit clause from the Northern Ireland backstop or a legally-binding time limit on it.
She said she tried to secure these from Brussels "but the EU would not agree to this because they fear that such a provision could allow the UK to leave the backstop at any time without any other arrangements in place".
And she conceded what she had received from the EU was not what some MPS wanted.
The PM earlier welcomed new EU assurances over the impact of the deal on Northern Ireland, saying they had "legal force".
In letters to Mrs May, the EU said commitments to look at alternatives to the customs arrangement and to fast-track talks on future relations had "legal value" and would be treated "in the most solemn manner".
The backstop is designed as an insurance policy to one of the challenges of Brexit: the future of the Irish border.
Ms May warned that a no deal Brexit was a threat to the Union.
"What would a no deal Brexit do for those campaigning for Scottish independence or indeed those demanding a border poll in Northern Ireland. Surely this the real threat to our union," she said.
And she added: "If rather than leaving with no deal, this house blocked Brexit, that would be a subversion of our democracy, saying to the people we were elected to serve we were unwilling to do what they have instructed."
Having earlier also warned of "paralysis in parliament" and no Brexit if her deal is rejected Mrs May told MPs: "When the history books are written, people will ask if MPs delivered on the will of the British people, and if they secured the country’s economy, security and union.
"People will look at the decision of this house tomorrow and ask did we deliver on the country's vote to leave the European Union, did we safeguard our economy, our security and our Union or did we let the British people down. I say we should deliver for the British people and get on with building a brighter future for country by backing this deal tomorrow.
At least 64 Conservative MPs have said they will vote against Theresa May's Brexit deal tomorrow, according to some commentators.
It is expected that the tally to climb higher as the debate on the withdrawal agreement continues.
It is estimated about 100 Tory and Democratic Unionist MPs are expected to join the opposition parties voting against the deal.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in response to the Prime Minister called it a "damaging shambles of a deal" which he said was the same as the one the House should have voted for in December.
"If the deal is rejected tomorrow and I hope it is, the blame will lie firmly with the government, and lie firmly at the feet of the Prime Minister," he said.
"The only people who are undermining faith in our democracy itself. I can think of no greater example of democracy in action than for this house to reject a deal that is clearly bad for this country."
And he concluded: "If the Prime Minister's deal is rejected tomorrow, it is time for a general election. It is time for new government."
Labour has vowed to table a vote of no confidence if Mrs May is defeated.
The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford said that Mrs May had received no concessions from the EU.
He said: "I am left asking myself is that it. Is that all you've got Prime Minister, because nothing has fundamentally changed.
"It is time to face reality, to extend Article 50 and let the people decide."
The DUP's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds says "nothing in these letters is inconsistent with the withdrawal agreement" and the Attorney General today says there is nothing that changes the fundamnetal meaning of the provisions.
"Let us not kid ourselves: nothing has changed," he adds.
Earlier today, in a speech in Stoke-on-Trent, she urged MPs to back her Brexit deal "for the country's sake".
She warned of "paralysis in Parliament" if the deal is rejected and said trust in politics would suffer "catastrophic harm" if the UK did not leave the EU. Read more here.
Tomorrow is the final day - day five - of the debate, followed by the "meaningful vote" on the PM's deal.
If the deal is rejected Mrs May will get three working days to come up with a "plan B".
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