UK parliament passes motion to delay Brexit date

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) - British MPs passed a government motion Thursday night giving Prime Minister Theresa May a mandate to ask the EU to extend Article 50 and thus delay the date of Brexit past March 29.

After a series of defeats in the House of Commons this week, May won this evening’s ballot in a 412-202 vote.

With the motion now passed, May will ask the EU for an extension to Article 50 -- the clause of the EU treaty under which Britain is leaving -- until June 30, 2018.

If the EU agrees to the delay, the U.K. will not be leaving the bloc on March 29 as previously planned.