British Prime Minister Theresa May’s government on Wednesday cautioned lawmakers that it was a delusion to think that it would be able to negotiate a new divorce deal with the European Union if parliament would vote down her deal.
The future of Brexit remains deeply uncertain, with options ranging from a disorderly exit to another referendum, because British lawmakers are expected on Jan. 15 to vote down the deal that May struck with the EU in November.
May pulled a vote in December on the deal, admitting that it would be defeated.
The British parliament resumed debating the deal ahead of coming week’s vote. Meanwhile, Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29.
Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington says he does not think the British public is served by fantasies about magical alternative deals that are somehow going to spring out of cupboard in Brussels.
“This deal on the table has involved some very difficult give and take on both sides,” Lidington said.
May has repeatedly ruled out delaying Brexit; she has also warned British lawmakers that if they reject her deal, Brexit could be derailed or UK could leave without a deal.
May’s government suffered a defeat in parliament on Tuesday when lawmakers who oppose leaving without a deal won a vote on creating a new obstacle to a no-deal Brexit.
Report says the 303 to 296 defeat means that the government needs explicit parliamentary approval to leave the EU without a deal before it can use certain powers relating to taxation law.
May’s office had earlier played down the technical impact of defeat.
The defeat highlighted May’s weak position as leader of a minority government, a split party, and a deeply divided country as the UK prepares to leave the club it joined in 1973.
According to Lidington, the vote shows that many lawmakers do not want any deal.
He, however, cautioned that it was not enough to show simply what lawmakers did not want.
He said that without an alternative, the default position would be leaving without a deal. (Reuters/NAN)