Fateful Brexit vote today at 21:00

On Tuesday the British Parliament rejected May's deal to exit the European Union for a second time, deepening the country's political crisis days before the planned departure date on March 29.

Lawmakers will vote later today on whether Britain should quit the trading bloc without a deal. The vote is set to take place at around 19:00 GMT (21:00). Britain's parliament will vote on Wednesday on whether to leave the European Union in 16 days without an agreement as the government said it would eliminate import tariffs on a wide range of goods in a no-deal Brexit scenario.

If such a "no-deal" exit plan is rejected, another vote will be held on Thursday on whether to ask the EU for a delay to Brexit, something to which all the bloc's other 27 members must agree.

The parliament is likely to reject a 'no-deal Brexit' plan, and the March 29 exit date subsequently being extended now looks to be a distinct possibility.

A spokesman for European Council President Donald Tusk, representing EU governments, said Britain would have to provide a "credible justification" for any request for a delay.

Read more:

• How will Brexit affect the big companies in the UK
• Theresa May seeks support from Merkel and Macron
• Britain faces the deadline for Brexit
• UK’s government faces ‘total collapse’ over Brexit
• Mark Mobius: It’s time Theresa May to go