British PM says parliament can vote on Brexit delay

LONDON, United Kingdom — British Prime Minister Theresa May says she would allow parliament to vote on March 14 on whether to delay Brexit if MPs reject both her deal and the prospect of leaving the EU without an agreement.

If those two options are rejected the government would put forward “a motion on whether parliament wants to see a short, limited extension to Article 50,” May says, adding that any delay could only be until the end of June.

The prime minister says she still wants Brexit to happen on the scheduled date of March 29 and repeats her promise to hold a parliamentary vote on her deal on March 12.

If the deal is rejected, as it was overwhelmingly by parliament last month, the government would then hold a vote on March 13 on whether MPs want a no-deal Brexit.

The vote on a possible delay would be the following day.

“Let me be clear, I do not want to see Article 50 extended. Our absolute focus should be on working to get a deal and leaving on March 29,” she tells parliament.

— AFP