The British government on Friday dismissed as a "hiccup" its latest parliamentary defeat over Brexit, saying it would press on with trying to renegotiate its EU divorce deal as exit day looms in just six weeks.
But as Prime Minister Theresa May prepares to return to Brussels next week, a senior minister conceded the latest display of divisions in London risked affecting the talks.
"Yesterday was more of a hiccup than the disaster that's being reported," Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the House of Commons, told BBC radio.
She added: "The one problem with last night's vote is that it allows the EU to continue with this pretence that they don't know what we want. And they do know what we want."
On Thursday night, MPs rejected a motion expressing support for May's efforts to seek changes to her Brexit deal, after members of her own Conservative party abstained.
Downing Street insisted the original mandate MPs gave to May on January 29, to amend the so-called backstop plan to keep Britain's border with Ireland free-flowing after Brexit, still stood.
"I hope anyone in the EU negotiating team listening this morning will be absolutely clear that the core requirement of parliament that we resolve the issue of the backstop remains the government's negotiating position," Leadsom said.
But the defeat exposed once again the splits among MPs over Brexit, and reflected mounting frustration at May's approach both in London and Brussels.
- No deal risk -
After MPs overwhelmingly rejected May's withdrawal deal on January 15, she promised to amend the backstop which, as drafted, risks keeping Britain tied indefinitely to EU trade rules.
Despite Britain being scheduled to leave the bloc on March 29, the prime minister has yet to present a viable alternative plan.
"We were reminded again last night of the reality that the House of Commons isn't clear in terms of what it wants," Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said in Dublin.
"There doesn't seem to be a majority of MPs asking for anything specific."
May has had phone calls with numerous EU leaders this week, including Germany's Angela Merkel, and Leadsom told the BBC that the prime minister would return to Brussels for talks "within days".
Brexit minister Stephen Barclay will meet EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday, while opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will visit the Frenchman on Thursday.
Brussels has repeatedly said it will not change the withdrawal agreement agreed last November after almost two years of tough negotiations, and says the backstop is vital.
The impasse raises the real risk that Britain severs ties with its closest trading partner in a six weeks time with no new arrangements in place.
The government motion put to MPs on Thursday night sought to reaffirm the mandate given to May on January 29 to renegotiate her deal.
But there were two votes that day: for a new plan for the Irish border, but also to request that Britain avoid a "no deal" scenario.
This angered Conservative MPs who believe the government must keep "no deal" as an option and so they abstained, leading to May's defeat.
One of them, Steve Baker, said his group wanted "to send a signal that we are not going to be associated with taking no deal off the table".
But he added: "We'd like to agree a deal."
Several government ministers have warned against leaving Britain without a deal, a scenario they fear would cause massive economic disruption.
A number are rumoured to have threatened to quit over the issue.
burs-ar/dt/klm
The British government on Friday dismissed as a “hiccup” its latest parliamentary defeat over Brexit, saying it would press on with trying to renegotiate its EU divorce deal as exit day looms in just six weeks.
But as Prime Minister Theresa May prepares to return to Brussels next week, a senior minister conceded the latest display of divisions in London risked affecting the talks.
“Yesterday was more of a hiccup than the disaster that’s being reported,” Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the House of Commons, told BBC radio.
She added: “The one problem with last night’s vote is that it allows the EU to continue with this pretence that they don’t know what we want. And they do know what we want.”
On Thursday night, MPs rejected a motion expressing support for May’s efforts to seek changes to her Brexit deal, after members of her own Conservative party abstained.
Downing Street insisted the original mandate MPs gave to May on January 29, to amend the so-called backstop plan to keep Britain’s border with Ireland free-flowing after Brexit, still stood.
“I hope anyone in the EU negotiating team listening this morning will be absolutely clear that the core requirement of parliament that we resolve the issue of the backstop remains the government’s negotiating position,” Leadsom said.
But the defeat exposed once again the splits among MPs over Brexit, and reflected mounting frustration at May’s approach both in London and Brussels.
– No deal risk –
After MPs overwhelmingly rejected May’s withdrawal deal on January 15, she promised to amend the backstop which, as drafted, risks keeping Britain tied indefinitely to EU trade rules.
Despite Britain being scheduled to leave the bloc on March 29, the prime minister has yet to present a viable alternative plan.
“We were reminded again last night of the reality that the House of Commons isn’t clear in terms of what it wants,” Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said in Dublin.
“There doesn’t seem to be a majority of MPs asking for anything specific.”
May has had phone calls with numerous EU leaders this week, including Germany’s Angela Merkel, and Leadsom told the BBC that the prime minister would return to Brussels for talks “within days”.
Brexit minister Stephen Barclay will meet EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday, while opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will visit the Frenchman on Thursday.
Brussels has repeatedly said it will not change the withdrawal agreement agreed last November after almost two years of tough negotiations, and says the backstop is vital.
The impasse raises the real risk that Britain severs ties with its closest trading partner in a six weeks time with no new arrangements in place.
The government motion put to MPs on Thursday night sought to reaffirm the mandate given to May on January 29 to renegotiate her deal.
But there were two votes that day: for a new plan for the Irish border, but also to request that Britain avoid a “no deal” scenario.
This angered Conservative MPs who believe the government must keep “no deal” as an option and so they abstained, leading to May’s defeat.
One of them, Steve Baker, said his group wanted “to send a signal that we are not going to be associated with taking no deal off the table”.
But he added: “We’d like to agree a deal.”
Several government ministers have warned against leaving Britain without a deal, a scenario they fear would cause massive economic disruption.
A number are rumoured to have threatened to quit over the issue.
burs-ar/dt/klm
