LONDON, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The prospects of a sudden no-deal Brexit have moved closer, according to a leading expert, but the EU Withdrawal Agreement soundly rejected by the British parliament on Tuesday evening could yet be the basis for Britain's withdrawal from the European Union (EU).
BIGGEST DEFEAT
British Prime Minister Theresa May saw her EU Withdrawal Agreement suffer the biggest defeat of a government policy in the history of the House of Commons. The deal was rejected by a massive margin of 432 votes to 202.
"To lose a vote by that majority is unprecedented in British politics," Alan Wager, research associate at The UK in a Changing Europe, an independent think-tank at King's College London, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview on Wednesday.
"This was a chance for MPs to register their views on Brexit and on the deal, but it is likely that on any future vote the numbers against would be reduced significantly," Wager said.
There are several options open now for Brexit.
These range from a sudden withdrawal on March 29 at the deadline of the Article 50 formal EU exit process, which would see Britain leave with no agreement, to a scrapping of Brexit completely.
These options could take in a change in prime minister, a change in government, a general election, and a second Brexit referendum or a mixture of those things.
AGREEMENT CHANGE
May survived her next hurdle on Wednesday night when MPs supported her as prime minister in a vote of confidence called in the House of Commons by the main opposition Labour Party, winning that vote by 325 MPs to 306 MPs.
According to Wager, May could now seek to change some of the language around her rejected Withdrawal Agreement and bring it back to the House of Commons for a vote.
"She might have to change the agreement. The substance agreed with the European Union would stay substantially the same but she could change some of the politics of it, and the aspirations of it to gain majority support in the Commons," Wager said.
"I would not rule out the broad thrust of the deal surviving," he said.
As the deadline for withdrawal from the EU nears, MPs are under increasing pressure to find a solution, and this could work in May's favor.
"Something needs to happen before the end of March, otherwise we will have a no-deal Brexit which will have catastrophic consequences," Wager said.
Wager believes May is unlikely to secure any further major changes to the Withdrawal Agreement, with the EU insistent that there is nothing new to offer.
European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker warned on Tuesday evening after the House of Commons vote that time was running out and Britain needed to clarify what it needed as quickly as possible.
"The EU is not willing to change the agreement itself -- it is willing to give more positive signals to Theresa May and there are signs that heads of state are willing to give May some help in selling the deal to people," Wager said.
2ND REFERENDUM
There has been a vocal and growing campaign called the People's Vote calling for a Second Brexit Referendum.
This has support from a small number of MPs from the main Conservative and Labor parties and support from some of the small political parties in the House of Commons.
However, support for a second referendum is currently not dominant among MPs.
Wager said: "It is possible Brexit could be reversed. It is unlikely but it is still possible."
