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A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 13 March 2019
May Day: UK Parliament rejects prime minister's Brexit deal

By JILL LAWLESS day designed to overcome
RAF CASERT lawmakers' concerns about
LONDON (AP) — With just provisions designed to en-
17 days to go, Britain's de- sure the border between
parture from the Europe- EU member Ireland and
an Union was thrown into Britain's Northern Ireland re-
chaos and doubt Tuesday mains open after Brexit.
as Parliament delivered The mechanism, known
a crushing double blow as the backstop, is a safe-
to Prime Minister Theresa guard that would keep the
May's Brexit divorce deal U.K. in a customs union with
and to her authority as the EU until a permanent
leader. new trading relationship is
Lawmakers rejected the in place. Brexit supporters
deal 391-242, ignoring in Britain fear the backstop
May's entreaties to back could be used to bind the
the agreement and end country to EU regulations
the political chaos and indefinitely.
economic uncertainty that May said documents to be
Brexit has unleashed. It added to the deal provid-
was a narrower outcome ed "legally binding" assur-
than the historic 230-vote ances that the backstop
margin of defeat for the would be temporary and
agreement in January, be- that Britain would have a
fore May secured changes Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves from Downing Street in London, Tuesday, March 12, way to get out of it if the EU
from the bloc — but not by 2019. failed to negotiate in good
much. Associated Press faith. However, the text of
Top EU officials warned that the 585-page withdrawal
the defeat had increased control over the course of out an agreement. If that an extension does not solve agreement remained un-
the chances of a chaotic Brexit and handed it to Par- is defeated — the likely the problems we face." changed.
"no-deal" British exit, which liament, which is divided outcome — lawmakers will "The EU will want to know May's hopes the conces-
could mean major disrup- about what to do next. vote Thursday on whether what use we mean to sions would be decisive
tion for businesses and peo- A drawn and hoarse May to delay Brexit, something make of such an extension. were dashed when Attor-
ple in the U.K. and many of admitted defeat — again that needs to be approved This House will have to an- ney General Geoffrey Cox
the 27 remaining EU coun- — and confirmed that Par- by the EU nations too. swer that question. Does it said the changes "reduce
tries. liament will vote Wednes- May warned lawmakers wish to revoke (Brexit-trig- the risk" Britain could be
The stinging 149-vote de- day on whether to leave that "voting against leav- gering) Article 50? Does it trapped inside EU regula-
feat stripped away May's the EU on March 29 with- ing without a deal and for want to hold a second ref- tions — but do not elimi-
erendum? Or does it want nate it.
to leave with a deal but not In a written legal opinion ,
this deal? Cox said the U.K. could still
"These are unenviable not extract itself from the
choices," she said. terms of the divorce deal
The EU, which had warned unilaterally, a key demand
there would be no more of pro-Brexit British politi-
changes or negotiations if cians. Afterward, hard-
Parliament threw out the core Brexit supporters in
deal, expressed exaspera- May's Conservative Party
tion at yet another Brexit and the prime minister's
crisis. allies in Northern Ireland's
In a statement, the Euro- Democratic Unionist Party
pean Commission said the both said they could not
member states "have done support the deal.
all that is possible to reach The DUP, which props up
an agreement." May's minority government,
"If there is a solution to the said "sufficient progress has
current impasse, it can only not been achieved" on the
be found in London," it said, key issue of the Irish border.
adding that "today's vote The European Research
has significantly increased Group of pro-Brexit Conser-
the likelihood of a 'no-deal' vatives, which has dozens
Brexit." of lawmakers as members,
European Parliament Brexit said the amendments "do
coordinator Guy Verhof- not deliver 'legally binding
stadt tweeted: "Brexit was changes'" to the withdraw-
about taking back control. al agreement, as the gov-
Instead the UK spiralled ernment promised.
out of control." The defeat Other EU nations had urged
came after May and Eu- British politicians to seize
ropean Commission Presi- the chance to back the
dent Jean-Claude Juncker deal and ensure an orderly
announced changes Mon- departure.q