Theresa May's government survived the vote of no confidence Wednesday evening, January 16, called for by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, after the agreement negotiated with the EU on the orderly exit of the United Kingdom was abruptly rejected Tuesday evening (see EUROPE 12172).
By 19 votes (306 in favour of the motion, 325 against), Ms May saved her seat and announced at the same time that she would focus on launching a transparent consultation to develop a 'plan B' for Brexit that would be supported by British MPs. This plan will be unveiled on Monday 21 January, but will not be voted on in the British Parliament until 29 January.
Opposition leaders are asking Ms May to definitively reject the scenario of leaving the EU without an agreement, a condition also demanded by Mr Corbyn to Mrs May, according to the British press.
The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and Theresa May remain in contact by "messages", said the spokesman of the European institution, Margaritis Schinas, on Thursday 17 January.
On the EU side, the expectation still prevails, although Commission Secretary General Martin Selmayr has planned to visit each capital to assess the preparation of a Brexit without agreement, the spokesman added.
On the same day, the French government adopted a plan to prepare for this possibility, which is “worrying” but seems "less and less improbable”, according to French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)