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Brexit: MPs reject Theresa May's deal again

Media caption,

WATCH: 91热爆's Chris Mason explains what the latest vote in parliament means for Brexit

Thousands of people protested at parliament overnight about the delay to Brexit. It comes after another Brexit vote on the day that the UK was due to leave the European Union.

286 members of Parliament (MPs) voted for the government's withdrawal agreement and 344 MPs voted to reject it.

EU leaders had agreed to delay the Brexit process, but only if Prime Minister Theresa May could get MPs to agree to her Brexit deal. She still hasn't managed to do this.

Image source, Getty Images

Angry protesters who disagree with the delay to Brexit gathered in front of the Houses of Parliament. Their Leave Means Leave campaign began two weeks ago in the North East and arrived at Parliament on Friday.

Some of the protesters disagreed with Theresa May's Brexit deal and welcomed it's rejection. Others feared it could lead to a second EU referendum.

This comes after hundreds of thousands of people protested in favour of a second referendum last week.

Theresa May's Brexit deal covers how much the UK will pay the EU to leave (which is being called the 'divorce bill'), the rights of UK and EU citizens, and the controversial Irish 'backstop' issue, which explains how the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland will work once the UK (including Northern Ireland) has left the group (leaving Ireland in it).

Media caption,

WATCH: Why has the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland become such a big issue for Brexit?

Speaker of the Commons John Bercow had stopped MPs from voting on Mrs May's Brexit deal a third time, unless it was substantially changed.

On 29 March, they were asked to vote again because it was only on part of the Brexit deal.

The other part is called the political declaration. This outlines what the UK's relationship with the EU will be like once a special period of transition (which would start once the UK has left the group) comes to an end.

If MPs had approved the deal, the government said the UK would leave the EU on 22 May. But now that they have rejected the deal the date to leave is 12 April.

It is not clear what will happen next.

Prime Minister Theresa May says it is a "matter of profound regret that once again this House been unable to support leaving European Union in an orderly way".

Image source, AFP PHOTO/PRU
Image caption,

MPs in the House of Commons (as pictured here) voted on part of Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal called the withdrawal agreement