No-deal Brexit ‘looks closer than ever’

Coveney downbeat after May’s revised plan defeated in Commons Political Editor A disorderly Brexit is now “closer” than ever after British prime minister Theresa May suffered a second humiliating defeat over her revised Brexit plan, Tánaiste Simon Coveney has said.

Ms May saw some of her MPs drop their opposition from January and opt to vote in favour, but not enough to prevent the deal being defeated in the House of Commons by 391 votes to 242, a majority 149. So weak has Ms May’s position become, she has been forced to allow a free vote today when MPs will decide whether they wish to leave the EU without a deal on March 29.