Now those same MPs are in the driving seat. There was an embryonic sliver of almost regret from the PM over her frustration with the delay in that extraordinary statement.
At times it was difficult to imagine that the prime minister who presented her delay compromise to the media in Brussels was the same one who had a day previously launched an uncompromising attack on the Commons for blocking her deal, and promised no lengthy delay.
But here in Brussels after a day of behind-closed-doors drama, the PM had to accept a path to a long delay she had ruled out the day before, and that a short delay would be far shorter than she had hoped.
Because this was the EU itself setting the terms and calendar of the Article 50 extension.
The image of the day was the representatives of the 27 continuing member states gathered around a laptop hammering out the deal, while British representatives were locked out of discussions on another floor of the European Council building.
Indeed, it was more even than that.
During the course of the day in Brussels the mood of the EU27 shifted.
At the beginning there was a hardline approach to the extension, helpful to the PM – the leaders almost all on message to cement the PM’s plan to seal the withdrawal deal next week.
But during the PM’s 90-minute plea on an extension, mainly because she simply did not answer what would happen should the planned meaningful vote fail, there was a change.
Some EU leaders had also met with visiting UK opposition leaders – Vince Cable and Jeremy Corbyn.
Both communicated doubt about the PM’s capacity to pass her deal.
The delay gives time for indicative votes, and for the Commons to take control of the process of asking for a longer extension by holding EU elections.
It also allows the PM one last tilt at passing her deal.
But the EU chose not to put all its eggs in that basket. It cannot rely on Theresa May’s promises on that point.
The delay deal agreed here was far away from the message sent by her now notorious Downing Street address blaming MPs for the impasse.