Brexit Impasse: UK parliament defeats PM Theresa May's deal by 230 votes

World
Europe

02:36

UK lawmakers delivered a historic blow to Theresa May, rejecting her divorce plan. 432 members of parliament voted against this deal including 118 MPs -- from the Prime Minister's own party. Now May has vowed to come up with a "good alternative" as her government faces a no-confidence vote. Richard Bestic has more.

After five long days of dogged debate, the vote when it came was devastating for the government and its plans for Brexit.

JOHN BERCOW UK HOUSE OF COMMONS SPEAKER "The ayes to the right 202. The noes to the left 432. So the noes have it. The Noes have it. Unlock."

A majority of 230 against Theresa May's Brexit deal with the EU, a Parliamentary defeat unprecedented in scale.

And leaving Brexit in unresolved lockdown.

THERESA MAY UK PRIME MINISTER "It is clear that the House does not support this deal, but tonight's vote tells us nothing about what it does support. Nothing about how or even if it intends to honor the decision the British people took in a referendum Parliament decided to hold."

Outside Parliament, there were scenes of joy as news of May's epic fail was shown to crowds on a big screen.

Solutions though thin on the ground.

"Where we are now, who knows. We're completely log-jammed."

"I'm very happy. This is the first step. We need to have a People's Vote."

That uncertainty echoed by the Prime Minister as she accepted the staging of a "Vote of No Confidence" in her government.

THERESA MAY UK PRIME MINISTER "Every day that passes without this issue being resolved means more uncertainty; more bitterness and more rancor. The government has heard what the House has said tonight, but I ask members on all sides of the House to listen to the British people who want this issue settled and to work with the government to do just that."

RICHARD BESTIC LONDON "To say this is a devastating political blow for Theresa May is a vast understatement. In the next few hours, she'll know whether her Premiership will survive; she'll get an idea of whether her government will survive. And the question they're asking here and across Europe is can Brexit survive. RB, CGTN, London."