As newspapers rolled off the printing press plant in the early hours of Tuesday, Britain was no nearer to resolving the chaos surrounding its departure from the European Union.
After a tumultuous week in which May’s divorce strategy was rejected by lawmakers for a third time, despite her offer to quit if it passed, the future direction of Brexit remains mired in confusion.
In a bid to break the impasse, MPs on Monday, voted on four last-minute alternative Brexit options Options for a Customs Union and were defeated.
The option that came closest to getting a majority was a proposal to keep Britain in a customs union with the EU, which was defeated by three votes.
A proposal to hold a confirmatory referendum on any deal got the most votes, but was defeated by 292-280.
The government is firmly opposed to both of these: the first, because it would mean giving up the freedom to make independent trade deals that many MPs desire; the second, because May says it would betray the voters who were promised that the result of the 2016 referendum would be implemented, and potentially solve nothing.
Brexit minister Steven Barclay said after the results were announced that the default position was still that Britain would leave the EU on April 12 without a Withdrawal deal
