UK MPs reject ‘no-deal’ Brexit, back PM May’s bid to reopen deal

British MPs voted to reject a chaotic ‘no-deal’ Brexit by 318 to 310 votes but backed British Prime Minister Theresa May’s bid to change the withdrawal agreement already struck with the European Union (EU).

Conservative Party MP Caroline Spelman and Labour MP Jack Dromey had tabled an amendment to try to prevent a crash-out exit of the UK from the EU, which won the support of MPs by eight votes, undermining the government’s argument that Britain would be willing to crash out of the EU without an agreement. However, the vote is not legally binding – meaning it showed the view of the House of Commons but does nothing to change the Brexit date of March 29.

Soon after, MPs also voted in favour of an amendment backed by the government to seek “alternative arrangements” to the controversial Irish backstop, which seeks to avert a hard border between Britain and Ireland after Brexit.

May had said she was backing the amendment to re-open negotiations in Brussels with an “emphatic message” of what British MPs want.