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Scuppering Brexit would be catastroph­ic, May warns MPs

PARLIAMENT TO VOTE ON PM’S WITHDRAWAL AGREEMENT TOMORROW

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British Prime Minister Theresa May yesterday warned MPs ready to reject her EU divorce deal next week that failing to deliver Brexit would be a “catastroph­ic and unforgivab­le breach of trust in our democracy”.

May is fighting doggedly to save her withdrawal agreement — forged during 18 months of gruelling negotiatio­ns with European leaders — from a crushing defeat in parliament tomorrow.

The embattled leader said some voters in Britain’s 2016 referendum on EU membership had trusted politician­s “for the first time in decades” and lawmakers must not let them down by now scuppering Brexit.

‘Breach of trust’

“Doing so would be a catastroph­ic and unforgivab­le breach of trust in our democracy,” May wrote in the Sunday Express newspaper.

“So my message to parliament this weekend is simple: it is time to forget the games and do what is right for our country.”

Britain is set to leave the European Union on March 29 but, with less than 11 weeks left, has yet to finalise the terms of its departure.

May’s deal agrees a 21-month transition period under current terms while the future relationsh­ip with the bloc is negotiated, but it has drawn steadfast opposition from both Brexiteers and Remainers.

The prime minister has said rejecting it will throw Britain into “uncharted territory” and put the country at risk of crashing out without an agreement, or even no Brexit at all.

The opposition Labour Party has suggested it will seek a noconfiden­ce vote in the government if MPs throw out the plan.

The Observer newspaper reported yesterday that its lawmakers have been told it could be tabled “within hours” of that tomorrow, with the confidence vote to be held the following day.

If the government loses a noconfiden­ce motion, there will be a period of 14 days in which parties can seek to find an alternativ­e working majority in parliament. If they fail to do so, a general election would be called.

“We will table a motion of no confidence in the government at a time of our choosing, but it’s going to be soon, don’t

[Rejecting the deal] would be a catastroph­ic and unforgivab­le breach of trust in our democracy. So my message to parliament this weekend is simple: it is time to forget the games and do what is right for our country.” Theresa May | British Prime Minister

We will table a motion of no confidence in the government at a time of our choosing, but it’s going to be soon, don’t worry about it.” Jeremy Corbyn | Opposition Labour leader

worry about it,” Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told the BBC.

Corbyn conceded if the party won power, parliament would likely need to delay Brexit beyond March 29 so it could renegotiat­e the withdrawal agreement.

The prime minister already postponed a House of Commons vote on her plan in December to avoid defeat — and MPs look set to reject it again.

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