Theresa May faces Brexit deadlock

By Rob Picheta and Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN

Updated 0932 GMT (1732 HKT) April 2, 2019
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6:18 p.m. ET, April 1, 2019

That's it for Monday

DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images
DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images

No, no, no, no.

After hours of anticipation, that's the message British lawmakers sent in the second round of indicative votes on Brexit alternatives. They will be try again on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Theresa May will be holding a crunch cabinet meeting. We'll be back to cover it. But for now, we're wrapping up our live coverage from London.

6:14 p.m. ET, April 1, 2019

Britain needs a way out of this Brexit swamp

Analysis from CNN's Luke McGee

Three days after Brexit was supposed to happen, lawmakers in the House of Commons remain incapable of breaking the deadlock.

On Monday night, MPs once again attempted to take control of the Brexit process by voting on alternatives to Theresa May's Brexit deal.

They attempted, but failed. Of the four alternative plans voted on, none received a majority.

This inability to agree on anything looked particularly farcical on the first working day since the Prime Minister's deal was defeated on Friday.

Throughout Monday, prospects of a softer Brexit or a second referendum getting the indicative approval of parliament were talked up. It looked like -- whether it be tacked onto May's withdrawal deal or a whole new plan -- there might be a crack of light as to a way through this mess. There might even have been some sort of cross-party compromise.

Instead, parliament continued to disagree with itself and berate one another, as the Brexit deadline, already delayed once, loomed just over the horizon.

On April 10, May will attend an emergency summit of EU leaders in Brussels. There, she must inform the EU of the UK's next move. This slow, painful Brexit process might end up being a race to a majority between May and those trying to find alternative ways to escape this this swamp.

Read more of Luke McGee's analysis here.

5:53 p.m. ET, April 1, 2019

Britain "facing the abyss"

A hard Brexit is "almost inevitable" after MPs voted down all four Brexit alternatives, the EU Parliament's Brexit coordinator has tweeted.

"On Wednesday, the U.K. has a last chance to break the deadlock or face the abyss," he said. A third round of indicative votes is set for Wednesday.

5:51 p.m. ET, April 1, 2019

What happens next with Brexit?

DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images
DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images

Lawmakers have rejected all four Brexit alternatives for a second time, days after rejecting Theresa May's deal for a third time.

So what now? Here are the next key Brexit dates:

Tuesday April 2: Theresa May will hold a five-hour Cabinet meeting tomorrow to try to find a way forward. The prime minister will likely attempt to find a way for her Withdrawal Agreement to return to the Commons for a fourth time, though it's also possible some hardline rebels will call on May to step down -- and the prospect of a general election could be raised.

Wednesday April 3: Parliament will again take control of the Commons order paper, looking to hold a third round of indicative votes.

Thursday April 4: Stephen Barclay, the Brexit Secretary, said that the Commons could still pass May's Withdrawal Agreement "this week" - and Thursday could be the most likely date to do so.

Wednesday April 10: An emergency summit of the European Council is set for next Wednesday to consider any request from Britain for another extension to Brexit.

Friday April 12: If no extension is agreed and no deal is passed, Britain is still set to crash out of the EU in 11 days.

5:37 p.m. ET, April 1, 2019

Nick Boles to sit as independent MP

Nick Boles has confirmed his dramatic resignation from the Conservative Party, after his Common Market 2.0 plan was defeated.

He said he will sit as an "Independent Progressive Conservative."

5:37 p.m. ET, April 1, 2019

Labour MPs defy party whip on Common Market 2.0

Kenneth Clarke's customs union proposal had the backing of 37 Conservative MPs and 230 Labour MPs, along with five independents and a Liberal Democrat MP.

The Common Market 2.0 plan for a softer Brexit received support from 33 Conservatives and 185 Labour lawmakers, despite Labour whipping for the plan.

Meanwhile, 15 Conservatives backed a second, confirmatory referendum along with 203 Labour MPs.

You can read the full division lists here.

5:34 p.m. ET, April 1, 2019

The DUP voted against all four alternative options

Northern Ireland's 10 Democratic Unionist Party MPs voted against all of the four alternative Brexit options.

Sammy Wilson had said during the debate that the party could not support any of the options, but there had been some suggestion the group might abstain. 

5:28 p.m. ET, April 1, 2019

Is May's Brexit deal the most popular option?

From CNN's Richard Greene in London

None of the four Brexit options that MPs in the House of Commons voted on Monday received more votes than Prime Minister Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement did on Friday. The Withdrawal Agreement got 286 votes, being defeated 286-344.

On Monday, the second referendum motion received the most support, with 280 votes.

But there were also fewer votes cast on all of the alternative Brexit options, with several abstentions. A plan for a customs union came within three votes of a majority.

5:19 p.m. ET, April 1, 2019

Nick Boles quits the Conservative Party

Nick Boles, the Conservative MP who supported the so-called Common Market 2.0 plan for a softer Brexit on Monday night, announced his resignation from the Conservative Party in the House of Commons immediately after the results were announced.

Boles said he had failed because his party had been unable to compromise, adding he could "no longer sit for this party."

There were audible sounds of disappointment from the Conservative benches as he made the announcement, with one voice calling, “Oh, Nick, don’t go.” 

But Boles received a rare round of applause as he walked out of the Commons chamber after his short speech.