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British PM May faces no confidence vote after crushing defeat over Brexit deal

British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal has been rejected by 230 votes — the largest margin for a sitting government in history, triggering the tabling of a no confidence motion against it, reported the BBC.

On a day of extraordinary drama at Westminster, the House of Commons voted by 432 votes to 202 as Tories turned against May to reject her deal that sets out the terms of Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU) on March 29.

Such a crushing defeat on a key piece of government legislation would have been expected to be followed by a prime ministerial resignation. But May signalled her intention to carry on in a statement immediately after the vote.

As noisy protesters from both sides of the Brexit divide massed outside in Parliament Square, May immediately rose to accept the verdict saying she would welcome a vote of no confidence in the government.

“The house has spoken and the government will listen,” she said. “It is clear that the house does not support this deal, but tonight’s vote tells us nothing about what it does support.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn then tabled a vote of no confidence in the government, which could trigger a general election.

Corbyn, speaking just before the vote , said May had “treated Brexit as a matter for the Conservative Party, rather than the good of the whole country”.

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