Brexit: Lawmakers reject Premier Theresa May's deal

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) - British lawmakers rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s EU withdrawal agreement after 432 of them voted against it on Tuesday evening.

Dealing May a historic defeat, the vote declared the deal, which was agreed to by British and EU officials after two years of negotiations, effectively null and void.

The vote was originally scheduled to be held last December but the prime minister postponed it after failing to secure enough support, pledging legally binding assurances for the length and end of the backstop clause, dealing with the thorny Irish border issue.

A total of 202 MPs backed the deal.

The prime minister is now expected to brief parliament on the government’s Plan B in three working days.

May tried to make the case that her deal is the best for the country’s interests and the alternative would be leaving the union without a deal.

Scenarios after defeat today include May’s resignation, renewed general elections, an extension to the Article 50 withdrawal process, a public referendum on the deal, or a no-deal Brexit.

The U.K. is set to leave the bloc on March 29 after more than 40 years of membership.