UK Parliament rejects May’s Brexit deal again

LONDON: The House of Commons voted on Wednesday to rule out a no-deal Brexit scenario — an attempt to block the United Kingdom from crashing out of the European Union without a divorce agreement on March 29.

The second day of major Brexit votes comes a day after British lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to reject the withdrawal agreement brokered by Prime Minister Theresa May with the EU, European media reported.

Lawmakers will now decide whether or not to ask Brussels to delay Brexit past its current March 29 deadline in another parliamentary Brexit vote on Thursday. A third vote on May's divorce deal is slated to be held on March 20.

The government motion, as amended, was passed by 321 votes to 278, a majority of 43, reinforcing the message that MPs do not want to leave without a deal. British Prime Minister Theresa May said there was a"clear majority" against a no-deal Brexit but the "legal default" was that the UK would leave without a deal on 29 March if no deal is reached.

MPs will now get a vote on delaying Brexit, said the prime minister. That vote will take place on Thursday, and if it is passed - and the EU agrees to it - the UK will not leave the EU as planned on 29 March.

There could be a short extension - or a much longer one - depending on whether MPs backed her withdrawal deal "in the coming days", said the prime minister. That means the government could make a third attempt to get Mrs May's deal through Parliament by 20 March, after MPs voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to reject it.