Brexit deal in turmoil as vote delayed

Associated Press

LONDON

Facing almost certain defeat, British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday postponed a vote in Parliament on her Brexit deal, saying she would go back to European Union leaders to seek changes to the divorce agreement.

May’s move threw Britain’s Brexit plans into disarray, intensified a domestic political crisis and battered the pound. With EU officials adamant the withdrawal deal was not up for renegotiation, the country does not know on what terms it will leave – and whether May will still be Britain’s leader when it does.

In an emergency statement to the House of Commons, May accepted that the divorce deal she struck last month with EU leaders was likely to be rejected “by a significant margin” if the vote were held today as planned.

May said she would defer the vote so she could seek “assurances” from the EU and bring the deal back to Parliament. She did not set a new date for the vote. The U.K.’s departure is supposed to take place March 29.

Opposition lawmakers – and ones from May’s Conservative Party – were incredulous and angry. Some accused her of trampling on parliamentary democracy.

“The government has lost control of events and is in complete disarray,” Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, a leading pro-Brexit Conservative, expressed despair at the Brexit shambles.

“It’s not really governing,” he said. “It’s just an awful muddle.”

Monday’s turmoil sent the pound to a 20-month low against the dollar of $1.2550.