Brexit’s future is down to the wire

PRIME Minister Theresa May has sparked outrage by suggesting Parliament may not be able to vote on her Brexit deal until March 12, just days before Britain is due to leave the European Union.

The decision increases the chances that MPs will move next week to delay Brexit beyond March 29, to avoid a potentially disastrous situation where Britain exits with no agreement at all.

Mrs May (pictured) had held out the possibility of a vote this week but said yesterday she was still discussing with the EU possible amendments to the deal’s arrangements for the controversial Irish border decision.

Three of Mrs May’s ministers had earlier warned that the House of Commons would seek a delay if there was no breakthrough this week.

“As we’re continuing with those talks, we won’t bring a meaningful vote to Parliament this week,” she said at a summit of European and Arab leaders in Egypt.

“But that will happen by March 12. And we still have it within our grasp to leave the European Union with a deal on March 29.”

Politicians last month rejected her withdrawal deal and since then May has sought to address their concerns about its so-called “backstop” plan for the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, a member of the EU.

She met with European Council chief Donald Tusk in Sharm el-Sheikh and will also hold talks at the summit with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, while her team will return to Brussels today.

But Labour’s Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer said Mrs May’s move was “the height of irresponsibility and an admission of failure”.

“Theresa May is recklessly running down the clock in a desperate attempt to force MPs to choose between her deal and no deal,” he said.

Adam Marshall, of the British Chambers of Commerce, said “these endless political manoeuvres aren’t helping the businesses, communities or people of the UK to prepare for the changes that lie ahead”.

Mrs May says she does not want Britain to leave the EU without a deal, which experts warn could cause major economic disruption.

Mrs May will address the Commons today, while all MPs will tomorrow have the chance to debate their own ideas.

A member of May’s Conservative Party, Nick Boles, has urged fellow politicians to back a cross-party plan to delay Brexit tomorrow.