UK govt will not renegotiate Brexit deal if rejected by parliament

[LONDON] The British government would not seek further negotiations with the European Union if parliament votes down its proposed Brexit deal, junior Brexit minister David Jones said on Tuesday.

Earlier, Mr Jones told lawmakers that parliament would be given a vote on the final deal before the European parliament debates and votes on the agreement.

Asked if the government would go back to the negotiating table if parliament rejected that deal, Mr Jones said: "I can't think of a greater signal of weakness than for this house to send the government back to the European Union and to say we want to negotiate further ... therefore I can't agree with it."

Mr Jones also said that if Britain and the EU could not come to a Brexit deal within the two year timeframe allowed under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, Britain would ultimately fall back on World Trade Organisation terms of trade.

REUTERS