LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Parliament has underscored Prime Minister Theresa May’s promise to give lawmakers a vote on whether to delay Brexit rather than leave the European Union at the end of March without a divorce deal.
The House of Commons voted 502 to 20 on Wednesday in favor of a motion backing May’s commitment to hand lawmakers a say in the Brexit process if she can’t win backing for her withdrawal deal by March 12.
May said Tuesday that lawmakers would get to vote March 13 on whether to leave the EU with no deal, and to vote again the next day on whether to seek to postpone the scheduled Brexit day of March 29.
Wednesday’s vote in the House of Commons was a symbolic move designed to ensure the government doesn’t try to wriggle out of the promise.
The government did not oppose the amendment. Some pro-Brexit lawmakers, who fear a delay could be used to try to stop Brexit altogether, abstained.