May puts off Brexit vote to March 12

The vote by the British lawmakers on the Brexit deal has been postponed to March 12 from February 27, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters on the plane to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt for the European Union (EU)-Arab League summit on Sunday, May ruled out bringing the Brexit deal to Commons this week, Xinhua reported.

May was quoted by The Guardian as saying: "My team will be back in Brussels on Tuesday. As a result of that, we won't bring a meaningful vote to Parliament this week, but we will ensure that happens by March 12. It's still within our grasp to leave the EU by March 29 and that is what we are planning to do." 

Her decision will come as a blow to opponents who planned to use this week's vote to push for a delay to Britain's departure from the EU, or for a so-called People's Vote on her deal with Brussels.

Although the EU-AL summit is not scheduled to discuss Brexit, May said she would take the opportunity to meet leaders of EU member states in her quest to get changes to her deal.

The new date for a meaningful date in the House of Commons will be just 17 days before Britain is scheduled to end its EU membership on March



29.

Citing The Guardian, Xinhua reported May is expected to meet European Council president Donald Tusk on Sunday and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday in Egypt.

In a stormy week for British politics, 11 MPs -- three Conservatives and 7 from the Labour Party -- quit their parties and formed an Independent Group of MPs in the House.

Meanwhile, three of her senior front bench ministers Amber Rudd, Greg Clark and David Gauke told the Daily Mail newspaper, they would support moves to extend Article 50, the mechanism that laid down Britain's departure date as March 29. 

They said it was aimed to avoid a "disastrous" no-deal Brexit, unless a deal with Brussels is agreed within the next few days.

Keir Starmer, Brexit spokesman for Labour Party, attacked May's decision to delay the vote. "This decision to further delay the meaningful vote is the height of irresponsibility and an admission of failure," he said.

"May is recklessly running down the clock in a desperate attempt to force MPs to choose between her deal and no-deal. Parliament cannot stand by and allow this to happen," Starmer said.