UK lawmakers again reject Theresa May’s Brexit deal

LONDON (AP) — British lawmakers have rejected the government’s divorce deal with the European Union for a third time, leaving the date and terms of the U.K.’s departure from the bloc uncertain.

The House of Commons voted 286-344 against the withdrawal agreement struck between Prime Minister Theresa May and the EU.

It follows defeats by even wider margins in January and March, and leaves the government’s blueprint for exiting the bloc in tatters.

Britain now has until April 12 to tell the EU what it plans to do next.

It must either cancel Brexit, seek a longer delay or crash out of the bloc without a deal.

U.K. lawmakers plan to hold a series of votes Monday in an attempt to find a new plan.

Earlier, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May said voting on her EU divorce deal is “the last opportunity to guarantee Brexit” as she sought to rally support for the measure.

May appealed to the House of Commons to accept her deal, saying any extension would “at least delay and could destroy Brexit.” 

The agreement still faced substantial opposition even after May sacrificed her job for her deal, promising to quit if lawmakers approved the Brexit deal and let Britain leave the EU on May 22.

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