The British parliament holds a historic vote Tuesday on the Brexit deal agreed with the EU and all sides are bracing for turmoil when the text is almost certainly rejected.
With just over two months to go until the scheduled Brexit date of March 29, a bitterly divided Britain is in limbo and the world is on tenterhooks about what will happen next.
Few expect the deal to pass but the scale of Prime Minister Theresa May’s defeat could determine whether she tries again, loses office, delays Brexit or if Britain even leaves the EU at all.
MPs from all parties oppose the agreement, for different reasons but on the eve of the vote May urged them to look again.
“No, it is not perfect. And yes, it is a compromise,” she said.
“But when the history books are written, people will look at the decision of this house and ask: did we deliver on the country’s vote to leave the European Union?
“Or did we let the British people down?”
On the day of the vote, the pound continued to rise against the dollar.
Experts said a massive defeat for the government would mean May’s deal is dead in the water and the pound could dive to a two-year low of around $1.22.
