LONDON: British lawmakers on Wednesday rejected leaving the European Union without a deal in any scenario, paving the way for a vote to seek to delay Brexit until at least the end of June.
Lawmakers voted by 321 to 278 in favor of a motion that ruled out a potentially disorderly ‘no-deal’ Brexit under any circumstances.
Exiting the EU without a deal could mean major disruptions for businesses and people in the U.K. and the 27 remaining EU countries.
No other prime minister in recent British history has been so unable, repeatedly, to work her will in Parliament. Nor have the backbench members of a ruling party felt so free to rebel openly against their leader.
Parliament is scheduled to decide Thursday whether to put the brakes on Brexit.
Commentators believe that with a no-deal Brexit voted down, May will now hope to persuade hardline pro-Brexit lawmakers to vote for her deal on the grounds that the alternatives offer a less clean break with the EU.
