
LONDON, March 12 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal was rejected again on Tuesday by MPs in the second meaningful vote in the parliament since January, increasing uncertainty about how the country will leave the European Union.
MPs voted against May's revised EU withdrawal agreement by 391 to 242, another heavy defeat since Jan. 15, when MPs rejected May's Brexit deal by a margin of 230.
The voting started at around 1900 GMT, with the prime minister heading for a defeat.
A hoarse prime minister, who was carrying on her last-ditch battle to save her Brexit deal just hours before the crunch vote, failed to win over the ERG, a major faction within her Conservative Party.
The United Kingdom is scheduled to leave the European Union on March 29. May's Brexit deal was voted down on Jan. 15 in the heaviest parliamentary defeat of any British prime minister in the modern era.
"I profoundly regret the decision this house has taken," May told lawmakers in a short speech right after the voting.
She added that the choices facing Britain were "unenviable", but because of the rejection of her deal. "They are choices that must be faced," she said.
May has secured legally binding changes to the deal on Monday night, but rebel lawmakers of her Conservative Party and those from the opposition Labour Party had said that these changes were not enough to persuade MPs to back the agreement reached by London and Brussels in November 2018 after years of painful negotiations.
"The reality is that nothing has changed," Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Labour Party, said in the parliament. "Nothing has changed. Not one single word was changed."
Corbyn said the Labour party put forward the idea of "remain and reform" in the referendum campaign.
With her Brexit deal rejected again in the parliament, the prime minister then faces a possible defeat on a second vote on Wednesday to prevent a no-deal Brexit on March 29, and a third vote on Thursday to extend the Article 50 divorce process, likely until the end of June.
![]() |
Award-winning photos show poverty reduction achievements in NE China's Jilin province
People dance to greet advent of New Year in Ameiqituo Town, Guizhou
Fire brigade in Shanghai holds group wedding
Tourists enjoy ice sculptures in Datan Town, north China
Sunset scenery of Dayan Pagoda in Xi'an
Tourists have fun at scenic spot in Nanlong Town, NW China
Harbin attracts tourists by making best use of ice in winter
In pics: FIS Alpine Ski Women's World Cup Slalom
Black-necked cranes rest at reservoir in Lhunzhub County, Lhasa
China's FAST telescope will be available to foreign scientists in April