BUSINESS leaders and a Swindon MP have called for 'calm heads' following the huge rejection of Theresa May's Brexit plan.

The withdrawal agreement put forward was voted against by 432 votes to 202 - the largest defeat by any sitting government in history.

Despite more than a third of conservative MPs voting against the deal, both of the MPs from Swindon supported it.

MP for North Swindon Justin Tomlinson, lamented the blow to the government’s plans, telling the Adver after coming out the chambers: “Labour, Liberal, and Scottish National Party MPs cheered to the rafters as they secured a significant blow for Brexit.

“The prime minister and the government will listen to colleagues as we rightly seek to secure a majority to deliver the democratic will of the British public in the further votes expected next week.

“This has to be a wake-up call. Calm heads are needed or Brexit will be lost.”

Robert Buckland, MP for South Swindon, urged MPs to work together to reach a compromise.

 "After that reversal, we will now work with MPs of all parties to chart a way forward that could work for both the UK and the EU," he said.

"More than ever, MPs will have to focus on positive proposals rather than talking about what they are against 

"I will support proposals that provide certainty for our jobs, economy and laws."

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Immediately after the defeat Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn announced he was tabling a vote of no confidence in the government, which is expected to take place today after midday, potentially forcing a general election if it wins enough votes from MPs.

The continued political infighting was met with concern from representatives of the business community in Swindon and the south west.

Matt Griffith, director of policy at Business West, called for more pragmatic thinking and cross-party support to find a solution to the deadlock and avoid a no-deal Brexit.

“Companies are now quite worried. It does seem they have lost confidence in the prime minister to deliver this deal,” he said.

“No deal appears worryingly likely, or at least a plausible outcome. For us, if this deal can’t get through, what can get through?

“The PM has essentially been spending a lot of time negotiating with her own party. “There needs to be a fairly radical change of approach and it needs to be able to reach out to MPs to start making compromises and come to something that avoids a no deal and cliff-edge scenario.

“There’s a danger we’ve seen confidence lost in the PM to deliver this deal, what we don’t want to see next is losing confidence in parliament to deliver, because then people will start making decisions.

“Once those decisions are made, it’s hard to reverse them. So it’s absolutely critical that parliament starts to act quickly.”

In her statement to MPs after the crushing blow Mrs May said she planned to return to the Commons next Monday with an alternative plan - if she survives the confidence vote - and has so far ruled out extending Article 50 beyond the March 29 deadline.