UK MPs fail to agree on softer Brexit deal

LONDON, Apr 02 (Agencies): Britain's exit from the European Union remained deadlocked on Monday after parliament failed to agree on any alternative to Prime Minister Theresa May's divorce deal.

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, lawmakers on Monday voted on four alternative Brexit options, but all four options were defeated.

The option that came closest to getting a majority was a proposal to keep Britain in a customs union with the EU. That option was defeated by three votes.

A proposal for a confirmatory referendum on any deal got the most votes, but was defeated 292-280.

Meanwhile, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier says that Britain's disorderly exit from the European Union without a deal is becoming more likely by the day after the U.K. parliament again rejected alternatives to the government's unpopular divorce deal.

Despite the downbeat assessment, Barnier did say that "we can still hope to avoid it" through intensive work in London ahead of an April 10 EU summit. A no-deal Brexit could come as soon two days after that.

Despite the difficulties of a chaotic exit, "the EU will be able to manage," Barnier said, although he warned that "not everything will be smooth."

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 deal to soften the economic dislocation of an abrupt departure.

Last Friday, the third defeat of May's own withdrawal agreement left one of the weakest British leaders in a generation facing a spiralling crisis over Brexit, the United Kingdom's most far-reaching policy change since World War Two.

Her government and her Conservative Party, which has been trying to contain a schism over Europe for 30 years, are now riven between those who are demanding that May pilot a decisive break with the bloc and those demanding that she rule out such an outcome.

If May were to throw her weight behind either camp, she would risk tearing her party apart and bringing down the government. Some Conservative lawmakers have warned they will support a motion of no confidence if she accepts calls for a Brexit that maintains many of the existing close economic ties with the EU.

Britain had been due to leave the EU on March 29 but the political deadlock in London forced May to ask the bloc for a delay. As things stand, Britain will now depart at 2200 GMT on April 12 - unless May comes up with another viable option.