LONDON (AP) British lawmakers faced another tumultuous day today, as Parliament prepared to vote on whether to request a delay to the countrys scheduled departure from the European Union and Prime Minister Theresa May struggled to shore up her shattered authority.
A new round of Brexit tussles came a day after chaotic scenes in the House of Commons, when lawmakers voted to rule out leaving the EU without an agreement on divorce terms. A dozen government ministers abstained rather than support Mays bid to preserve the no-deal option, while another voted against, and resigned.
Lawmakers were deciding today whether to seek a delay to Brexit, currently due to take place on March 29. May grudgingly granted the vote after Parliament twice rejected her EU divorce deal. Despite the rebuffs, May has signaled she will try a third time to get backing for the agreement next week.
Mays opponents are simultaneously trying to grab the Brexit controls from her hands, although its far from clear if Britains divided Parliament can agree on a way forward.
Britain is currently scheduled to leave the EU in 15 days, when a two-year countdown to departure runs out. Exiting the EU without a deal could mean major disruptions for businesses and people in the U.K. and the 27 remaining countries.
Some lawmakers have been pressing for a series of votes in Parliament on different Brexit options including a closer relationship with the bloc than the government wants to see if any can command a majority.
Bowing to pressure, deputy prime minister David Lidington said that if Mays deal is not approved by next week, the government will facilitate votes in late March or early April to seek a majority on the way forward.
Parliament is also scheduled to vote Thursday on several other options, including a call to use a Brexit delay to organize a new referendum on Britains EU membership. Another will try to prevent May bringing her EU twice-rejected divorce deal back for a third vote.
