100+ Euro-parliamentarians urge UK to reconsider Brexit

By Serife Cetin</p> <p>BRUSSELS (AA) – More than 100 European Parliament members from various political wings signed a letter to the British public on Monday asking them to reconsider the U.K.’s impending and controversial Brexit.</p> <p>On the eve of a scheduled vote in Britain’s parliament on the withdrawal deal reached by Prime Minister Theresa May with the EU, 129 MEPs sent an open letter to the British public.</p> <p>&quot;We are reluctant to intervene in your domestic politics, but we cannot help but notice that the opinion polls show a growing number of voters who want an opportunity to reconsider the Brexit decision, now that it is clear that Brexit is very different to the promises made by the Leave campaign nearly three years ago,&quot; the MEPs said in the letter.</p> <p>&quot;Any British decision to remain in the EU would be warmly welcomed by us and we would work with you to reform and improve the European Union, so that it works better in the interests of all citizens,&quot; the letter added.</p> <p>If the British parliament rejects the deal, and no Brexit deal can be achieved, a backstop will automatically come into effect to ensure no return to physical borders between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.</p> <p>In a separate letter to May, Donald Tusk, European Council head, and Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the European Commission, stressed that they will try to find technical solutions to the Irish border issue that would make the backstop redundant.</p> <p>They said: “Given our joint commitment to using best endeavours to conclude before the end of 2020 a subsequent agreement, which supersedes the protocol [ie, the backstop] in whole or in part, the commission is determined to give priority in our work programme to the discussion of proposals that might replace the backstop with alternative arrangements.</p> <p>“In this context, facilitative arrangements and technologies will be considered.</p> <p>“Any arrangements which supersede the protocol are not required to replicate its provisions in any respect, provided that the underlying objectives continue to be met.”</p> <p>However, they said the withdrawal agreement cannot be altered.</p> <p>“We are not in a position to agree to anything that changes or is inconsistent with the withdrawal agreement,” they wrote.</p> <p>For Tuesday’s House of Commons vote on the withdrawal agreement, the possibility of passage is seen as low, as Britain’s opposition parties and the government’s de facto partner the DUP have already said they would vote no.</p> <p> </p> <p>- What happens if deal is rejected?</p> <p>Scenarios should May suffer a defeat on Tuesday include her resignation, a vote of no confidence in government, general elections, or a public referendum on the deal.</p> <p>With two-and-a-half months left before the U.K.’s exit, the daunting option of a no-deal Brexit is also growing stronger, as EU officials have said there will be no changes to the deal no matter how parliament votes.</p> <p>The U.K. is set to leave the bloc on March 29 after more than 40 years of membership.</p> <p> </p> <p>