United Kingdom and Gibraltar European Union membership referendum

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"Deadlock" - this is how the British describe the situation in their parliament: a complete stoppage. The EU supporters, the anti-Europeans, the pragmatists, the government loyalists - nobody wants to give in at Brexit so far. Not even after the dramatic slump for Prime Minister Theresa May and her exit deal in the lower house. Neither, after the failed vote of no confidence of Labor.

After all: May wants to talk now. And with all party leaders, including Jeremy Corbyn, the leftist hardliner at the head of the opposition. Wednesday night, a few hours after the vote of confidence, May steps outside her office on Downing Street in London with a renewed appeal to her opponents: "We all need to work together constructively," she says. "It's time to put aside self-interests."

In the evening, May meets with the heads of the Liberals and the Welsh party Plays Cymru. She also speaks with the faction leader of the Scottish SNP. On Thursday morning she receives the only Green MP Caroline Lucas.

In Video: Lower House Speaker John Bercow: The Only Winner

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Only one refuses so far: Corbyn. The Labor leader reiterates Thursday's condition for meeting with May: The prime minister should exclude an unregulated Brexit without an agreement with the EU. May, however, does not want to know about it.

But the time pressure is great. On Monday, the government must present its Plan B in Parliament, a motion and an opinion on its next steps. It seems increasingly questionable whether the exit date is still to be held on 29 March. What could break the blockade in the lower house? Five scenarios.

1st May goes to opposition

In Westminster, some believe that May has only one chance at a majority: when she approaches Labor. However, that would mean that May would have to give in to the requirement of remaining in the EU Customs Union. The conversation among moderate Europeans is also a "Norway" solution, which would also mean close ties to the EU internal market.

The Prime Minister rejects all this decidedly. Under these conditions, London would not be able to negotiate international free trade agreements on its own.

But this has only just been identified as one of their "principles" for the EU exit. In their view, Brexit would be watered down if the United Kingdom does not become more independent on key issues.

And another danger for such a change for May: In the camp of the Brexit ultras of their party threatens huge displeasure. The prime minister would expect to lose votes there. Some British media even speculate about the split of the Tories.

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Photo gallery: The failure of the Brexit deal

2. The EU meets May

It would be most convenient for the government if May in Brussels still enforces binding changes to the hated backstop solution. The EU had agreed with London on this mechanism to avoid a hard border on the Irish island in an emergency. If a free trade deal is not reached, the agreement says, Britain remains in the Customs Union.

But some Britons fear that they will be bound to the EU forever. It is one of the central criticisms of the Brexit Treaty. May has therefore repeatedly tried to persuade Brussels to commit to at least one end date of the backstop.

There they refuse so far but persistently. Commissioner Jean-Claude Jucker and Council President Donald Tusk simply stated in a letter to May that they did not want the backstop either. And if, everything is only temporary. What that means exactly, they left open.

3. A second referendum

The divided parliament gives the responsibility to the people. This is how those in the House of Commons want to fight for Britain to stay in the European Union. 71 Labor MPs signed a request on Wednesday. They receive support from SNP; Liberals, Greens and a handful of EU-friendly Tory MPs.

May does not want another referendum. She insists her government will respect the outcome of the 2016 referendum. However, May could have no influence at all in the end. Some MEPs plan to enforce the second vote with an amendment. If May presents her plan next week, she wants to submit an appropriate supplement. On 29th January the deputies should vote on it.

It will be critical for the head of the government, especially if the Labor leadership supports this project so far. Jeremy Corbyn has resisted so far, but the pressure is on him to rethink his course. Not only in your own party. The Liberals now threatened to vote in a new vote of confidence no longer with Labor, Corbyn should not join the call for a second referendum.

4. New elections

They are Labor's declared goal. Corbyn wants to power himself and then negotiate a new "better deal," he says. Therefore, he does not exclude to submit further motions of no confidence against the government.

In any case, the party is already in campaign mode. On Wednesday, Labor released a new campaign spot, Corbyn again emphasizing domestic issues. On Thursday he spoke in Hastings, the constituency of Labor Minister Amber Rudd, who identified Labor as a potential May successor at Tory Peak.

The Prime Minister, on the other hand, emphasizes that new elections would not change the situation. This is not completely wrong. Similar to the Tories, Labor is divided at Brexit. The question of what the party would use to campaign is not finally answered. Clear against it: Should it come to new elections, a deferral of the previous exit date would probably be unavoidable.

5. No Deal

At least this much is certain: If the British do not find a compromise and do not ask for more time in Brussels, the UK will leave the EU on 29 March, even without an agreement. It threatens significant consequences, especially for the economy. Great Britain would no longer be part of the EU's trade agreements, but at the same time new customs barriers would immediately take effect.

A horror scenario - except for some Brexit hardliners who are in no way willing to compromise with Brussels. To date, May has been using the "no-deal" scenario as a lever to negotiate with the EU and to win over doubters in London. Without success.

Mays party friend Nick Boles now wants to prevent an unregulated Brexit by law. He submitted a draft on Wednesday. The content: If the MPs do not agree on any Brexit plan, the government must postpone the withdrawal - until the end of the year.