May asks legislators for more time to rework Brexit deal

London, Feb. 12: Prime Minister Theresa May asked MPs Tuesday to give her more time to try and revive her Brexit deal with the EU in what the opposition said was a ploy to "run down the clock".

May updated parliament following meetings in Belfast, Brussels, and Dublin despite EU leaders' insistence that they will not renegotiate the deal they had already struck with her.

Deal or no deal, Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29 and a disorderly exit could cause chaos.

"The talks are at a crucial stage. We now all need to hold our nerve to get the changes this house requires and deliver Brexit on time," May told lawmakers.

"Having secured an agreement with the EU for further talks, we now need some time to complete that process," she said. The announcement was seen by political commentators as an attempt to defuse any parliamentary rebellion in a series of votes on May's Brexit strategy to be held on Thursday.

May has promised that parliament would have another chance to vote, on February 27, on what to do if no agreement is reached.

MPs last month overwhelmingly rejected the deal struck between May and Brussels for Britain's exit from the EU. Ever since, the premier has been trying to secure changes to the accord that would satisfy parliament's lower House of Commons.

Pro- Brexit MPs in May's Conservative Party are unhappy particularly with a so- called backstop provision intended to keep the border with Ireland free- flowing.

Some fear it could leave Britain trapped in EU trade rules indefinitely with no withdrawal mechanism.

Main opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said May had come to parliament Tuesday with "excuses and delays" and accused her of trying to "play chicken with people's livelihoods".