UK Parliament opposes no-deal Brexit

The House of Commons of the British Parliament voted against Brexit without a deal with the European Union (EU), according to the BBC.

312 parliamentarians voted against, 308 voted in favor. The BBC notes that the implementation of this decision is not mandatory, and it does not mean that the UK will refuse to leave the EU. However, it assumes that British MPs will be able to vote on the postponement of Brexit.

A vote on a possible postponement will take place on March 14, and if the majority of parliamentarians are in favor of it, then the process of the UK leaving the EU will not begin on March 29, as planned, but later. Earlier, the British government called for a no-deal Brexit.

Prime Minister Theresa May said the government could continue negotiations on Brexit or hold another referendum. However, according to her, this could damage the trust between the British public and the Chamber. She stressed that the presented version of the deal with the EU is the only possible one.

On the eve of the British Parliament rejected an updated agreement with the EU on the terms of withdrawal. May said she "deeply regrets" the MPs' decision.

Prior to that, she and the head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, agreed on changes to the agreement regarding the so-called "Irish backstop". He suggests that Northern Ireland may remain part of the EU customs union until the end of the transition period. May noted that the insurance option cannot be introduced on a permanent basis.

In January, the British Parliament refused to support the draft agreement on the terms of Brexit, demanding changes to the Irish issue. As Juncker emphasized, if the British Parliament votes against the new agreement, "there will be no third chance."

In June 2016, the UK held a referendum on leaving the European Union, with almost 52% of Britons voting in favor of it. According to the plan, the transition period will last until the end of 2020.