British prime minister Theresa May survives no confidence vote after Brexit defeat

British prime minister Theresa May has survived a no confidence vote in Parliament after suffering the worst defeat in modern times over her Brexit deal on Tuesday.

With the backing of her own Conservative MPs as well as her Northern Irish allies in the DUP, the UK leader secured herself more time to attempt to push through her package for leaving the European Union.

She won by a vote of 325 to 306 - a margin of 19.

The no confidence motion was tabled by the country’s opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who is in charge of the Labour Party.

He called it in an attempt to force a general election that could have unseated May and made him prime minister instead.

Corbyn accused May of leading a “zombie government” after her Brexit deal - which was negotiated over the two-and-half years since the British people voted to leave the EU - was defeated by 432 to 202 votes on Tuesday.

Despite the opposition leader’s failure to win Wednesday’s vote, he promised to persist with more no confidence motions until May is defeated.

Britain is set to officially leave the EU on March 30, with or without a deal, but some smaller parties in Parliament are calling for the departure to be cancelled and for a second referendum on membership to be held.