Parliament to vote on whether the UK can leave the EU with no deal

Britons wake up this morning to more Brexit uncertainty. Parliament dealt a resounding defeat to Theresa May’s Brexit plan on Tuesday night; today the House of Commons will decide whether to reject the possibility of a no-deal Brexit. If it does, it is highly likely that the March 29 Brexit deadline will be extended in another vote on Thursday.

The PM secured three legally binding changes to the agreement. The EU has pledged to not use the Irish backstop to trap the UK, to work towards finding a ‘technological solution’ to the border with Northern Ireland and to allow the UK to seek arbitration if it feels the EU is not negotiating the future relationship in ‘good faith’.

However, PM May failed to secure a time-limit to the backstop or the ability to exit it unilaterally, which were key demands of Brexiteer members of her Conservative Party. The ambiguous responses of the DUP, a coalition partner, and other MPs indicate that the deal may well be rejected once again.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has affirmed that there will be no further clarification or assurances over the deal, which could prompt Brussels to block a potential extension request later this week. A rejection of the deal will likely see Parliament exert greater control over the Brexit process, while the unanimous EU position against further concessions makes a no-deal outcome ever more likely.

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