May staggers on as parliament seizes control of Brexit

Bloomberg

The UK Parliament seized control of the Brexit process from PM Theresa May and will now seek to decide how Britain exits the European Union.
In a vote, the House of Commons split 329 to 302 to schedule votes on a series of alternative strategies, potentially including a second referendum, keeping the UK in the bloc’s customs union, leaving without a deal and even canceling Brexit altogether.
The pound rose immediately after the result, before paring gains. Early Tuesday, it was trading down 0.1 percent.
Three ministers resigned to back the plan, which sets up the possibility that MPs could force the beleaguered premier to abandon her deal with Brussels and implement their choice. One of them, Steve Brine, said the pro-Brexit faction in his Conservative Party should see the result as an indication parliament will push to keep closer ties to the EU.
In a sign of how far May has lost the trust of MPs, even on her own side, the defeat came despite last-minute promises from her government that it would implement the plan itself if lawmakers voted against it.

Pressure on Brexiters
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC it’s now “very clear” that politicians who want to deliver on the Brexit referendum result must back the prime minister’s deal.
“Even for colleagues of mine who want to go down the no-deal route, it’s clear the House of Commons is not going to let that happen,” Hancock said, a warning to the pro-Brexit wing of the Tory party.
Meanwhile, the clock is continuing to tick down. The EU has ruled that if parliament doesn’t approve May’s deal by Friday, the UK has until April 12 to come up with a case for a much longer delay to Brexit, or leave the bloc immediately with no agreement.
While parliament was forcing its way into the driving seat, those who were supposed to be controlling the process remained passive. After reports that May’s cabinet would tell her it was time for her to go, the subject of her departure wasn’t even raised in its meeting, according to people present.
Neither was there a decision about whether to try to put the prime minister’s deal to parliament again.

‘Slow Brexit’
In the House of Commons, May set out the choices as she saw them. “Unless this House agrees to it, no-deal will not happen,” she said. “No Brexit must not happen; and a slow Brexit that extends Article 50 beyond May 22, forces the British people to take part in European elections, and gives up control of any of our borders, laws, money or trade, is not a Brexit that
will bring the British people together.”
Later, in answer to questions, she raised two more options: “Either a second referendum or an election.” Both are unattractive to many MPs.