Brexit: No Majority For Any Options After MPs’ Votes

Calls for a customs union with the EU were rejected by 272 to 264 votes while a call for a referendum to endorse any deal was rejected by 295 to 268 votes.

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said the results strengthened ministers’ view their deal was “the best option”.

The results capped a day of drama in which Theresa May promised to stand down as PM if her deal was passed.

The prime minister told a meeting of Tory MPs she would leave office earlier than planned if it guaranteed Parliament’s backing for her withdrawal agreement with the EU.

Her announcement prompted a number of Tory opponents of her deal to signal their backing but the Democratic Unionists suggested they would continue to oppose the agreement.

MPs hoped Wednesday’s unprecedented series of “indicative votes” would help break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit.

The failure to identify a clear way forward led to angry exchanges in the Commons with critics of the process saying it had been “an abject failure”.