Theresa May has lost the Brexit vote: What happens next?

Theresa May has suffered a heavy defeat after her amended Brexit deal was rejected by MPs for the second time in three months.

The humiliating loss is a huge blow for her personally and it means the UK enters unchartered political waters once again – with the date of Brexit just 17 days away.

She lost by 149 votes with 391 MPs voting against the agreement, and 242 MPs voting for it.

What happens next?

Mrs May has promised MPs a vote on whether they support a no-deal Brexit following the defeat on her deal.

This will take place tomorrow and Parliament is expected to reject no deal, having voiced its opposition to leaving without a deal in a previous vote.

Mrs May said the no-deal vote will be a free vote for her party, meaning Tory MPs can vote whichever way they like without party guidance.

If Parliament says no to no deal there will be a vote on delaying Brexit by extending Article 50, the legal mechanism by which a country leaves the EU.

If this is approved the Prime Minister will seek a Brexit delay from the EU.

Will Mrs May resign?

Mrs May has previous refused to resign despite suffering record a series of crushing defeats and a vote on no-confidence in her leadership triggered by her own MPs.

But in this case the EU has told Mrs May there is no more opportunity for negotiations, and there is a chance she could could finally accept she has reached the end of the line for her leadership.

Ladbrokes is offering 2/5 of Mrs May to be gone before the end of the year, and she is 4/1 to be replaced in March, 8/1 in April and 12/1 in May, with the odds lengthening to 14/1 in June.

Will Brexit be delayed?

If MPs vote in favour of delaying Brexit this week Theresa May will officially ask the EU to push back the date of departure.

All 27 member states would need to improve an extension.

The EU has signalled it would be willing to extend Article 50 if there is a real chance doing so would break the deadlock.

However this is far from guaranteed, and any extension is unlikely to reach past the European parliament elections in May.

Will there be a general election?

The Labour party is pushing for a General Election in an attempt to reach a Brexit breakthrough.

In order for this to happen, Theresa May would need to decide to call an election – which is highly unlikely – or a vote of no confidence in the Government needs to be voted through.

This would involve Conservative MPs voting to bring down their own Prime Minister.

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Will there be a second referendum?

Odds on ANOTHER referendum have been slashed as the UK moves closer to the Brexit deadline without a deal in place.

Theresa May has consistently voiced her opposition to another vote, but the Labour party has tentatively supporter the idea if they are unable to secure their own Brexit deal.

Bookmakers are offering odds of 5/2 on another referendum before the end of 2019, and 5/1 on a referendum with voters choosing to remain.

So what happens on March 29?

Impossible to say at this stage. If a deal is somehow reached and legislated for then although the UK will formally leave the EU at 11pm, very little will change as a transition period will smooth progress to the UK’s new future.

If there is a delay, the UK will still be in the European Union until the extension period expires.

But if there is a no-deal Brexit, things are a lot more uncertain – the Government has been ramping up preparations to try to prevent shortages of food and medicine amid fears that increased bureaucracy will clog up key ports where goods arrive from the Continent.