UPDATE – UK parliament takes no-deal Brexit off table

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal</p> <p>LONDON (AA) – The House of Commons on Wednesday evening approved an amended government motion ruling out a no-deal Brexit.</p> <p>The parliament vote came a day after Prime Minister Theresa May’s deal was heavily defeated for the second time.</p> <p>May’s motion suggested to rule out a no-deal Brexit on March 29 but kept the possibility of a disorderly exit beyond that date as a bargaining chip.</p> <p>However, an amendment by a group of MPs, which was approved before the vote, altered May’s motion to rule out a no-deal Brexit under any circumstances.</p> <p>The amended motion was voted and approved by the MPs in a 321-278 vote with reports that some cabinet ministers abstained.</p> <p>The House of Commons will vote on whether to seek a delay to Britain’s departure from the bloc on Thursday.</p> <p>Speaking after two defeats on Wednesday evening, May said: “The motion we will table set out the fundamental choice facing this house.”</p> <p>“If the house finds a way in the coming days to support a deal, it would allow the government to seek a short limited technical extension to article 50 to provide time to pass the necessary legislation and ratify the agreement we have reached with the EU,” she said.</p> <p>“But let me be clear, such a short technical extension is only likely to be on offer if we have a deal in place,” she added.</p> <p>May went on to say: “Therefore, the house has to understand and accept that, if it is not willing to support a deal in the coming days, and as it is not willing to support leaving without a deal on 29 March, then it is suggesting that there will need to be a much longer extension to article 50.</p> <p>“Such an extension would undoubtedly require the United Kingdom to hold European parliament elections in May 2019.”</p> <p>“I do not think that would be the right outcome,” May warned.</p> <p>“But the house needs to face up to the consequences of the decisions it has taken,” she said.</p> <p>The motion set for tomorrow’s vote gives the British government and MPs until next Wednesday to pass a Brexit deal.</p> <p>It says, if a deal is passed by then, the government will seek an extension of article 50 until 30 June. But if the deal is not passed by then, the government will need a longer extension.</p> <p>A further extension will mean the U.K. taking part in upcoming European parliament elections, a move the British government tried hard to avoid. </p> <p>Prior to Wednesday's vote, the U.K. was set to leave the EU on March 29.