- Theresa May's Brexit deal is defeated for a third time by 344 votes to 286.
- Significant numbers of Conservative Brexiteers switch to back May's Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union.
- But the Democratic Unionist Party, which props up May's government, refused to budge.
- The government's efforts to win over swathes of Labour Members of Parliament also fell short.
- Failure to pass the deal means the EU's offer of a Brexit delay until May 22 no longer stands.
- The UK now has until April 12 to agree a deal or be forced to seek a long Brexit delay./strong>
LONDON — Theresa May's Brexit deal has been defeated for a third time after Members of Parliament again voted by a significant majority to reject the Withdrawal Agreement she has negotiated with the European Union.
The prime minister had urged MPs to back the deal on Friday afternoon, saying that it was "the last opportunity to guarantee Brexit" amid the prospect of the UK's exit being delayed by many months.
She also warned that a lengthy delay would force the UK to take part in the upcoming European Parliament elections.
However, while significant numbers of Conservative Brexiteers did switch to back the deal, including former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and the former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, it was not enough to secure a majority.
Crucially, the Democratic Unionist Party, which props up May's minority government, refused to back the deal with most opposition MPs also resisting calls to switch sides.
Fears among Labour pro-Europeans, that large numbers of their MPs would back the deal were not realised, with many waverers put off by the prime minister's commitment to stand down if the deal is passed.
34 Conservative MPs voted against May's deal, while just five Labour MPs defied leader Jeremy Corbyn to back it.
The scale of the defeat was significantly lower than on previous occasions, failing by a majority of 58 votes, however.
Responding to the result, May told MPs: "I fear we are reaching the limits of this process in this House.
"This House has rejected no deal. It has rejected no Brexit. On Wednesday it rejected all the variations of the deal on the table.
"And today it has rejected approving the Withdrawal Agreement alone and continuing a process on the future."
European Council President Donald Tusk announced on Twitter that he would call an emergency meeting of EU leaders on April 1o to respond to the result.
The result means that the EU's offer of a delay to Brexit until May 22 will now expire with the UK now due to leave on April 12. MPs now face a stark choice between no-deal and a long delay to Brexit.
A long extension to the Article 50 Brexit process would also give space to those MPs pushing for a softer Brexit.
On Monday, MPs will vote again on alternative plans to May's deal. When a similar vote took place last Wednesday the option of remaining in a Customs Union with the EU was only narrowly defeated by just eight votes.
Labour leader Corbyn said that May must let MPs choose an alternative to her deal or resign.
"The House has been clear, this deal now has to change. There has to be an alternative found. And if the Prime Minister can’t accept that then she must go, not at an indeterminate date in the future but now," Corbyn said following the result of the vote.
"So that we can decide the future of this country through a General Election."
Steve Baker, deputy leader of the pro-Brexit European Research Group of pro-Brexit Conservative MPs, also called on May to resign immediately.
"I regret to say it is time for Theresa May to follow through on her words and make way so that a new leader can deliver a Withdrawal Agreement which will be passed by Parliament," he said.
“This has been a tragic waste of time and energy for the country. We can waste no more."
May told Conservative MPs this week that she would stand down as Conservative leader and prime minister once MPs had voted to approve a Brexit deal.
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