Berlin unveiled its worries over a no-deal scenario and pledged to make everything possible to avoid it. Mr Maas told to German MPs in the Bundestag: “In the coming days and weeks, we will do everything we can so that Britain exits with and not without an agreement.” But he noted the country is also preparing for Britain departing from the bloc without an agreement.
He added: “We’re prepared for all scenarios – we are continuing to plan for a disorderly Brexit scenario and we will step up this planning – it’s about preventing any negative impact for citizens and our companies to the extent possible.”
The probability of the UK leaving without a deal increased on Tuesday, when Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement was rejected by 432 MPs.
The Prime Minister has now opened to meet MPs and the leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, to discuss a way to end the stalemate.
READ MORE: Corbyn blasted for refusing to enter Brexit talks ‘he’ll talk to Hezbollah but not May!’
But the Labour leader said he won’t meet Mrs May unless she rules out a no-deal Brexit.
In a letter sent her this morning to “reiterate the points raised” during this week’s PMQs, Mr Corbyn wrote: “We are firmly of the opinion that the starting point for any talks about how to break the Brexit deadlock must be that the threat of a disastrous ‘no deal’ outcome is ruled out.
“After the unprecedented and unnecessary delay to the meaningful vote last month, entering into talks while the clock continues to run down, and the threat of a chaotic ‘no deal’ increases, would be a reckless leap in the dark.
“Therefore, on behalf of the Labour Party, I ask you to rule out ‘no deal’ and to immediately end the waste of hundreds of millions of pounds of public money preparing for a ‘no deal’ outcome.
“The £4.2billion currently allocated to ‘no deal’ planning could significantly improve many of cash-starved public services on which people rely and could transform the lives of those struggling on Universal Credit.”
Mrs May’s defeat was a huge blow also for the European Union, according to Hosuk Lee-Makiyama, a former EU trade official who now leads the European Centre for International Political Economy.
According to the expert, Brussels negotiators have worked hard to strike a deal with the UK, and now risk to see all their efforts undermined “because it cannot be ratified.”
Mr Lee-Makiyama told the Financial Times: “The ball is definitely in the EU court.”