May receives approval to reopen Brexit deal

The European Union insisted it will not renegotiate its Brexit deal with the United Kingdom after British Prime Minister Theresa May received Parliament’s backing to reopen the agreement in a Tuesday vote. Lawmakers gave May a two-week deadline to revisit the Irish border portion of the agreement, which remains a major sticking point in the deal. The EU and Britain at first agreed on a “backstop,” which would prohibit border controls between Northern Ireland and Ireland. But members of Parliament argued an open border with Ireland could keep Britain tied to the EU indefinitely.

“It is now clear that there is a route that can secure a substantial and sustainable majority in the house for leaving the EU with the deal,” May said as she vowed to pursue legally binding changes.

But European Council President Donald Tusk insisted the current deal is the “best and only way” to achieve an orderly exit. “The backstop is part of the withdrawal agreement, and the withdrawal agreement is not open for renegotiation,” Tusk said through a spokesman. Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29.