What next for Brexit? Rocks and hard places abound as Britain faces three main scenarios, in wake of deal’s defeat
- Try again? A no-deal Brexit? A second referendum? None of the options facing Britain look both viable and palatable
What next? After British MPs rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal on Tuesday, triggering a no-confidence vote in the government, that is the question on everyone’s lips.
Here are the three main scenarios facing Britain while the clock ticks down to March 29 – the day it is scheduled to depart the European Union after 46 years.
Try again
The British government and EU leaders say their agreement is the best compromise available, and despite her historic defeat, May said Tuesday it remained the only option.
But she also pledged to try to identify the sticking points and urgently rejig the deal, with the approval of the EU.
A key sticking point will be the deal’s so-called “backstop” provision: a plan to keep open the border between Ireland (a member of the EU) and Northern Ireland, which is part of Britain. The provision gave Britain and the EU until 2022 to reach a new permanent trade deal and stated the “backstop” would come into effect only if they failed to do so.