May: No-deal Brexit would cause significant disruption

World
Europe

01:13

British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday warned that a no-deal Brexit would cause significant disruption in short-term. May made the remarks in a speech, a final push to win support as UK parliament is likely to vote down her Brexit deal on Tuesday.

"You can take no deal off the table by voting for my Brexit deal," May stressed. She had warned lawmakers on Sunday that failing to deliver Brexit would be "catastrophic" for democracy.

The fate of the United Kingdom's March 29 exit from the EU is deeply uncertain as parliament is likely to reject May's deal on Tuesday evening, opening up outcomes ranging from a disorderly divorce to reversing Brexit altogether.

British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a speech during a visit to the Portmeirion factory in Stoke-on-Trent, Britain, January 14, 2019. /VCG Photo

Amid the most profound crisis in British politics for at least half a century, May and EU leaders exchanged letters giving assurances on her withdrawal agreement, though there was little sign of a change of heart among rebel lawmakers.

"There are some in Westminster who would wish to delay or even stop Brexit and who will use every device available to them to do so," May said during her visit to a china factory in the leave-supporting city of Stoke-on-Trent in central England.

"While no-deal remains a serious risk, having observed the events at Westminster over the last seven days, it's now my judgment that the more likely outcome is paralysis in parliament that risks there being no Brexit."

Response from EU on Ireland border issue

In a joint reply to questions from May, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk said the EU stood by its commitment to try and reach a post-Brexit trade deal by the end of next year in order to avoid using the unpopular backstop.

While stressing that nothing in their letter could be seen as changing or being inconsistent with the draft treaty agreed with May last month, they said a commitment to speedy trade deal made by EU leaders had "legal value" which committed the Union "in the most solemn manner".

A copy of the letter send by European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to British Prime Minister Theresa May is seen next to a European Flag in this illustration picture January 14, 2019. /VCG Photo

However, even if the target date were not met, they wrote, Britain would have the option to extend a status-quo transition period to avoid triggering the backstop, which is meant to avoid a hard customs border for Northern Ireland.

As the world's biggest trading bloc tried to brace for an unpredictable ride, Spain said the EU could agree to extend the deadline for Brexit, but not beyond elections for the European Parliament due in May.

"If the backstop were nevertheless to be triggered, it would only apply temporarily, unless and until it is superseded by a subsequent agreement that ensures that a hard border is avoided," they said.

Parliament plans to take control of Brexit

With no-deal Brexit the default option if May's deal is defeated, some lawmakers are planning to pull control of Brexit from the government.

If May's deal is defeated and the government is unable to have any amended version passed in the next three weeks, one suggestion is for senior lawmakers who chair parliamentary committees to come up with an alternative Brexit plan.

Activists from the Peoples Vote campaign unveil Deal or No Deal boxes in Parliament Square in a lobbying push for a second referendum on EU Membership. MPs in the House of Commons are due to vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's EU Withdrawal Deal tomorrow after last month's vote was postponed, London, England, January 14, 2019. /VCG Photo

"We're in the very, very final stages of the end-game here," said Nick Boles, one of the Conservative lawmakers behind the plan, who said he would vote for May's deal.

"What we need to do is find the solution, and if the government can't find the solution - and we want the government to find the solution, and we'll be voting for her solution - but if it can't then parliament needs to," he told BBC radio.

Sunday, the leader of the pro-EU Liberal Democrats Vince Cable said lawmakers could bring forward legislation to revoke Article 50 as a way to wrest control of the legislative agenda away from May.

"I think parliament will take control of this process, will insist that we pursue the option of no Brexit," he added.

(Cover: Anti-Brexit supporters hold placards and flags as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament on January 14, 2019. /VCG Photo)