Brexit: Theresa May agrees to renegotiate deal with European Union after legislators vote for it
The British prime minister had urged lawmakers to vote in favour of the motion, so she could open re-negotiations in Brussels.
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday agreed to renegotiate the Brexit deal with the European Union, after MPs in the House of Commons voted 317 to 301 to order her to seek new terms with the bloc. May had urged lawmakers to vote in favour of the motion, so she could open re-negotiations in Brussels, CNN reported.
On January 16, the British Parliament voted against the deal May had negotiated with European Union officials. A day later, she survived a no-confidence vote 325 to 306.
However, the European Union has indicated that there is no chance of a renegotiated deal. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, said: “The Withdrawal Agreement is and remains the best and only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union,” the spokesperson said.
May anticipated the difficulties: “There is limited appetite for such a change in the EU and negotiating it will not be easy,” she told Parliament. “But in contrast to a fortnight ago, this House has made clear what it needs to agree a deal.”
But the Irish government also opposed renegotiation. “The agreement is a carefully negotiated compromise, which balances the UK position on customs and the single market with avoiding a hard border and protecting the integrity of the EU customs union and single market,” Ireland said in a statement.
Britain is due to exit the European Union by March 29. On Tuesday, British MPs also rejected a no-deal Brexit, 318 votes to 310. However, they failed to make any plan which will prevent the United Kingdom from leaving the European Union on March 29 without a deal.