British MPs reject four alternative Brexit proposals

LONDON

British MPs rejected four alternative Brexit proposals Monday, failing to form a majority behind any of them.

Lawmakers’ indicative votes on the alternatives to Prime Minister Theresa May’s three-times-rejected deal or to a no-deal Brexit produced no clear way forward again.

One of the alternatives, which suggested that the UK leave the European Union but remain in the customs union, was narrowly defeated by three votes as 273 MPs voted for and 276 against it.

Speaking after the results were announced, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said no solution has won a majority, but parliament can avoid a no-deal Brexit by approving May’s deal in a fourth vote this week.

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn underlined that one of the options was narrowly defeated and could be voted on again.

Nick Boles -- the Conservative MP behind the Common Market 2.0 proposal, under which the UK would leave the EU but remain in the European common market -- said he regretted to announce his amendment had failed.

Boles said he will refuse to sit in the House of Commons as a Conservative member, announcing his resignation from the party.

The eight alternatives voted on last week were all rejected, but four of those receiving the most votes were brought back to parliament Monday, with only 11 days remaining before the EU’s extended deadline is reached.

The EU recently granted a Brexit extension, saying the deadline is April 12 if the House of Commons did not approve May’s deal by the end of last week.

May’s deal was rejected last Friday for a third time.

Earlier in Monday’s debate on the alternatives, Conservative MP Richard Drax said he voted for May’s deal last week but regretted doing so, calling on the prime minister to immediately resign.

May is expected to chair a cabinet meeting Tuesday.

She said last week she would resign as premier if parliament passed her deal.

The EU announced last week that it would hold an emergency Brexit summit on April 10.

UK voters decided to leave the bloc after a more than 40-year-long membership following a referendum in 2016.