Britain's Theresa May warns that no Brexit is more likely than an EU divorce with no deal

Britain's Theresa May leaves church before Brexit vote
(Image credit: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Image)

British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan goes up for a key vote in Parliament on Tuesday, and as it is widely expected to be rejected, she is making a last-ditch case Monday for her proposal to separate from the European Union. May is telling factory workers on Monday that if her plan fails, it is more likely that Parliament will scrap Brexit entirely rather than let the U.K. leave with no deal; with a deal, ties with the EU would be severed immediately on March 29, along with Britain's existing trade deals, leaving uncertainty if not chaos.

A significant number of Brexit supporters now argue a "no deal" Brexit is the best option. Brexit opponents are hoping to force a second referendum or, according to one plan being floated, let Parliament take control of the Brexit process. There are those in Parliament "who would wish to delay or even stop Brexit and who will use every device available to them to do so," May warned. And if they succeed, "people's faith in the democratic process and their politicians would suffer catastrophic harm. We all have a duty to implement the result of the referendum."

The opposition Labour Party will vote against the deal, joined by about 100 members of May's Conservative Party and the 10 members of the Democratic Unionist Party. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said if May's plan fails, his party will set in motion a vote of no confidence in her government in a bid to force new elections. More immediately, rejection of May's EU divorce plan would give her three days to propose a Plan B, and she's likely to head to Brussels on Wednesday to try to wrest more concessions from the EU before a Jan. 21 vote on her fallback plan.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.