European council president Donald Tusk has said he will recommend the EU accept the UK’s request for a Brexit extension.

Tusk tweeted: “Following PM Boris Johnson’s decision to pause the process of ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement, and in order to avoid a no-deal #Brexit, I will recommend the EU27 accept the UK request for an extension. For this I will propose a written procedure.”

His comments come after British prime minister Boris Johnson’s loss of the second House of Commons vote on Withdrawal Agreement Bill timetable on Tuesday night.

Johnson said his government would “pause” the planned legislation until he spoke to European Union members states and they reached a decision. He insisted Britain would leave the EU with his deal “one way or another”. Preparations for a no-deal outcome would be accelerated.