Britain's PM May could face another Brexit defeat in parliament

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British Prime Minister Theresa May could face a defeat in parliament on Thursday over her plan to renegotiate the Brexit deal, undermining her pledge to the European Union that, with changes, she can get the agreement approved.

Thursday's symbolic vote was seen by May's team as little more than a rubber stamp of her plan to secure changes to the divorce deal with the EU, giving her more time to satisfy lawmakers' concerns over one part of it - the Irish backstop.

But hardline Brexit supporters in her Conservative Party are angry over what they say is her acceptance of ruling out a no-deal departure, something May's Brexit minister Stephen Barclay again denied in parliament, saying by law Britain will leave the EU on March 29 with or without an agreement.

Stephen Barclay, U.K. exiting the European Union (EU) secretary, departs Downing Street to attend a weekly questions and answers session in Parliament in London, U.K., Feb. 13, 2019. /VCG Photo

The latest twist in the two-year negotiation to leave the EU underlines the deep divisions in parliament over how, or even whether, Britain should leave the bloc in the country's biggest political and trade policy shift in more than 40 years.

A rebellion, even in a symbolic vote, would be a blow to May, who has insisted to EU leaders that if they offer her more concessions to the deal agreed in November, she can command a majority in parliament and get the agreement passed.

"Colleagues should be in no doubt that the EU will be watching our votes tonight carefully for any sign that our resolve is weakening. We should not give them that excuse not to engage," Barclay told parliament as he opened the debate.

He also called on the MPs to give the government time to make good on its work.

Lawmakers are expected to vote from 1700 GMT on Thursday.

May is trying to secure changes to the backstop arrangement to prevent a return of border controls between Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland to ease concerns that Britain will be kept too closely in the EU's orbit indefinitely or that the British province will be split away.

Source(s): Reuters