The United Kingdom woke up this morning still a member of the European Union, missing its long-awaited March 29 "Independence Day" deadline. Yesterday, in a crushing blow to the government, Members of Parliament rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement for a third time by a margin of 58 votes, plunging the nation deeper into the greatest political crisis since World War II. Despite a desperate last-minute offer from Mrs. May to resign if her deal passed, the House of Commons remained deadlocked. Hardline Brexiteers felt the deal kept the UK too closely tied to EU rules, while Remain-leaning MPs argued it would leave the country poorer. The defeat means the UK has failed to meet the conditions set by the EU for an automatic extension until May 22, leaving the country facing a "no-deal" cliff-edge in less than two weeks. Outside the Palace of Westminster, thousands of "Leave" supporters gathered for a "Leave Means Leave" rally, expressing fury over what they described as a betrayal of the 2016 referendum result. Meanwhile, just days ago, over a million "Remain" supporters marched through London demanding a "People’s Vote" or a second referendum, highlighting a nation fractured down the middle.
European Council President Donald Tusk has called an emergency summit for April 10 to discuss the crisis. The UK now has until April 12 to propose a new way forward or crash out of the bloc without a deal—an outcome economists warn could cause massive disruption to trade and travel.
As the Prime Minister's authority hangs by a thread, talks of a general election or a "softer" Brexit through cross-party negotiations are gaining momentum. For now, the "Brexit clock" has been paused, but the uncertainty for businesses and citizens remains at an all-time high.
