United Kingdom

The Latest: EU Parliament official sees 'Brexit revolt'

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement on Brexit to lawmakers in the House of Commons, London, Monday March 25, 2019. May is under intense pressure Monday to win support for her Brexit deal to split from Europe.(House of Commons via AP)

On the first day of Operation 'Brock', (Brexit Operations Across Kent) trucks pass through a contraflow system being tested on one side of the M20 motorway near Hollingbourne, Kent, in south east England, Monday, March 25, 2019. The contraflow is designed to manage queues of trucks heading to Europe, via ferries or the Eurotunnel to France, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, to prevent gridlock for other road users. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

The Latest on Britain's exit from the European Union (all times local):

11:20 a.m.

The European Parliament's top Brexit official says that "we see for the moment a real Brexit revolt" in the United Kingdom, with over 5 million people signing an online petition to revoke Britain's decision to leave the EU and a million taking to the streets to stay in the EU.

Guy Verhofstadt said Tuesday he felt especially encouraged by the vote in the House of Commons seizing more control over the stalled Brexit process and setting up a series of votes this week that could dramatically alter the course of the U.K.'s departure.

Verhofstadt said that "it is possible now to work in Britain toward a cross-party alliance," adding that "I hope it will lead to a proposal that can be backed by a majority" in Westminster.

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9:20 a.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May's government says Parliament's decision to take control of the stalled process of leaving the European Union underscores the need for lawmakers to approve her twice-defeated deal.

The House of Commons voted Monday to take control of the parliamentary timetable on Wednesday so lawmakers can vote on alternatives to the withdrawal agreement May negotiated with the EU. The government usually controls the scheduling of votes in Parliament.

But Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC on Tuesday that the government won't "pre-commit" to accepting the option backed by lawmakers.

Hancock says lawmakers should support the prime minister's agreement because "the best way through this impasse is the one deal that's been negotiated with the EU."

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Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit