May unveils Brexit Plan B, looks lot like Plan A; oppn furious

LONDON: British PM Theresa May's "Plan B" which was revealed to a packed House of Commons on Monday is nothing but a revised version of the deal she had already agreed with the European Union and falls short of calling for a second referendum, extending "Article 50" withdrawal notice or ruling out a no-deal Brexit, angering some opposition MPs.

The main change in the deal, which sets out the terms under which the UK will leave the EU on March 29, is that it will have the controversial Irish backstop, an insurance policy to ensure there will be no return to border checks between the British province and Ireland, "changed".

In her statement to the House of Commons, May said she was exploring various options on how to change it and she would see which option secured the support of the House and take it back to Brussels to get the original deal amended. "All agree we should not allow a hard border," the PM said.

Workers' rights and environmental standards, currently protected by the EU, will not be eroded, she confirmed. The government will table a motion on the revised deal - which will be put to a vote on January 29 - that will be amendable. May hopes she will be able to push this through parliament so the UK can leave the EU with a deal.

May refused to extend Article 50, saying it was "deferring the point of decision", and refused to rule out a no-deal Brexit. Instead she confirmed that £4.2 billion had so far been spent on Brexit planning and that contingency arrangements for Brexit included "3,500 troops on Brexit standby".

She announced that EU citizens would have their £65 fees waived to obtain settled status in the UK post-Brexit, even though EU member states have not yet given reciprocal assurances for UK citizens.

She also said parliament would have a greater say on the political declaration and future partnership and was upbeat about the UK's post-Brexit trade prospects, saying she had not only discussed an free-trade agreement with New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern over lunch but also being a member of TPP-11, the third-largest free trade agreement in the world. She rejected calls for a second referendum, saying it could damage social cohesion by undermining faith in our democra cy.

Opposition leader Jeremy Corbynsaid: "The PM is in deep denial. We now see she is going back to Brussels to get concessions on backstop. What makes her think she will get in January what she tried for in December? Labour wants a new customs union with the EU and a single market agreement."