The UK's deadlocked Parliament failed to agree on a new blueprint for Brexit, rejecting all the options that were put forward to replace Theresa May's unpopular deal.
The House of Commons voted on four different policies but none of them won a majority, pushing Britain's messy divorce from the European Union deeper into crisis. The pound fell.
With just 11 days left until the UK is due to exit the bloc of 28 nations, the stalemate leaves the Prime Minister with a crucial decision over what to do next. She will convene a meeting of her Cabinet tomorrow, likely to last five hours, to hash out a plan.
The options in front of May are stacked with danger. She could try again to get her own deal through in a parliamentary vote, despite it being rejected on three earlier occasions; she could seek a long delay to Brexit, which would enrage many eurosceptics and could provoke resignations; or she could call for a general election or even a new referendum and let voters decide.
In a dramatic sign of how high tensions are running high in Parliament, one of the authors of a motion that was rejected resigned from the Conservative Party in the chamber.
"I have given everything to an attempt to find a compromise that can take this country out of the European Union while maintaining our economic strength and our political cohesion," Nick Boles told the Commons after the results were read out. "I accept I have failed. I have failed chiefly because my party refuses to compromise."
MPs will have another chance to take over the Brexit agenda on Thursday. But the path ahead is unclear. Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay indicated that the Government could bring May's deal back for another vote this week to try to avoid a long extension of EU membership.
"The House has voted in favour of nothing. As a result in 11 days time, the UK will leave the EU without an agreement unless the Prime Minister acts," said Labour MP Hilary Benn.
The votes were:
NO 276 to 273
Customs Union (C): Conservative grandee Kenneth Clarke wants the UK to leave the EU having secured a permanent customs union with the bloc at a minimum, and for this to be enshrined in primary legislation. This option was the most popular last week, just six short of a majority.
NO 282 to 261
Common Market 2.0 (D): The UK stays in the European Economic Area and rejoins the European Free Trade Association, giving it access to the EU single market. That's Norway's relationship. The UK would remain part of the EU single market and would retain freedom of movement. This plan has been gaining momentum, with both Labour and the Scottish National Party saying they'll support it.
NO 292 to 280
Second Referendum (E): A process motion that says Parliament shouldn't ratify or implement any withdrawal agreement until it has been approved in a referendum. Another popular option last week, with 268 votes in favour.
NO 292 to 191
Prevent no-deal(G): A process amendment, this would require a confirmatory vote in Parliament if the UK got to within two days of a no-deal Brexit. MPs would be asked to choose between a no-deal Brexit or revoking Article 50 to stop Brexit.
If Brexit was halted, an inquiry would be held to find out what type of future relationship with the EU could command support.
- Bloomberg
"The default legal position remains that the UK leaves the EU in 11 days time," says @SteveBarclay pic.twitter.com/6bnB1V7s7H
— BrexitCentral (@BrexitCentral) April 1, 2019
Watch the moment that Nick Boles resigned from the Conservative Party, blaming his party for "refusing to compromise" on its Brexit deal https://t.co/iI7P9lMEtp pic.twitter.com/gJes3liHR0
— Bloomberg Brexit (@Brexit) April 1, 2019
Brexit options (in order of majority)
— Jessica Elgot (@jessicaelgot) April 1, 2019
Customs union 273-276 (-3)
Referendum 280-292 (-12)
Common Market 2.0 261 - 282 (-21)
Revoke A50 191- 292 (-101)
The UK still has no clue about how to do Brexit.
— david allen green (@davidallengreen) April 1, 2019
Three years since referendum.
Two years Article 50 period.
Three votes on the Deal.
Two lots of indicative votes.
And still not any clue.
And the UK is set to leave the EU a week on Friday.
What an utter shambles. https://t.co/VbHRxxszH1
Laura Kuenssberg: "Given you were the most prominent face in the #Brexit campaign... do you feel responsible?"
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) April 1, 2019
Boris Johnson: "Put it this way, I have a complete duty to try to argue for what I believe in"https://t.co/iFj1UnLGD8 #BrexitStorm pic.twitter.com/qRPnYM0Ty8
Does Theresa May have a plan for #Brexit?
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) April 1, 2019
DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds: "I am not entirely sure. It's very hard to know what she's thinking... I'm not sure that there's been a great strategy"https://t.co/pTq4hwmpJk #BrexitStorm pic.twitter.com/lDojnzijrq
Ex-Tory MP Anna Soubry on #Brexit: Theresa May "has never reached out to build a genuine consensus. She went into the negotiation on her terms... it is a situation, I'm afraid to say, of her own making"https://t.co/YcYaWtN0sH #BrexitStorm pic.twitter.com/ydexgnZfKI
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) April 1, 2019