British parliament wrests control of Brexit from embattled PM

In another defeat for British Prime Minister Theresa May, MPs have voted to take control of the House of Commons timetable in an effort to find majority support for any Brexit option.

British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks in Parliament in London, Britain March 25, 2019. UK Parliament/Mark Duffy/Handout via REUTERS

The cross-party amendment was passed by 329 votes to 302 on Monday night, with 30 Tory MPs siding against the government, but May has declined to say whether she would abide by any majority outcome.

The unprecedented move allows for a series of votes on Wednesday to work out if a majority of MPs favour one option over another. It comes after May’s EU divorce deal was rejected for a second time.

In a statement, the government warned the amendment “upends the balance between our democratic institutions and sets a dangerous, unpredictable precedent for the future”.

Britain remains bitterly divided nearly three years after the people voted for Brexit in a referendum, and it’s still not clear how or when or Brexit will happen.