United Kingdom and Gibraltar European Union membership referendum

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British Prime Minister Theresa May has challenged her toughest opponents at a Brexit crisis summit on Sunday - and apparently blocked her coup attempt. Several members of the Cabinet had previously reportedly pressed for May's resignation, according to media reports.

At her country estate in Checkers northwest of London, May has plotted with high-ranking conservative party politicians whether a renewed Brexit vote in the coming week would make sense, a government spokesman said. They included ex-Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, hard-liner Jacob Rees-Mogg, Ex-Brexit Minister David Davis, Environment Minister Michael Dove, and other EU skeptics.

That was at least the official statement. But it must also have gone to May's own future. On Monday she wants to call her cabinet. Eleven ministers had turned their backs on the prime minister and had asked them to resign at this meeting, the Sunday Times reported on Saturday. May's office did not want to comment. In the evening the newspaper reported that May had repulsed the coup attempt.

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Mass demonstration in London: you want to stay!

The uprising was therefore a group around May's deputy David Lidington and Environment Minister Michael Gove planned, the British media had reported. On Sunday, both politicians denied that they wanted to inherit the prime minister. May should stay in office. "She's doing a fantastic job," said Lidington.

Prime Minister Philip Hammond has also spoken out in favor of the stay of May - albeit a little half-heartedly. "This is not about the Prime Minister, this is about our country," he told Sky. A new prime minister is pure self-employment.

The head of government is in an almost hopeless situation. Next week, she wants to let the parliament decide for the third time on her Brexit deal with the EU and thus bring about the exit on 22 May. Earlier, the EU had granted Britain a reprieve on Thursday.

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The British MPs want to debate on Monday evening on the way forward. Prior to this, May will most likely make a statement in the afternoon on the course of the EU summit on 21 and 22 March.

A parliamentary majority for the agreement remains in the pipeline. Against the deal, the opposition Labor Party, the conservative Brexit hardliners around Johnson and Gove and May's Northern Irish coalition partner DUP speak out. However, some anti-EU politicians hinted that they could vote for May's deal if she resigned.

Given the resistance and the fact that Speaker John Bercow will not allow a third vote, May may have to give up the vote. Then she might have Parliament vote on a number of individual questions on Brexit, which could soften Brexit as a whole or even make it impossible - when it comes to a second referendum.

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"I'm afraid it's over for the Prime Minister," tweeted May's ex-advisor George Freeman, who sits for the Conservatives in the House of Commons. The Sunday Times quoted several ministers as saying May's time was over. The head of government acted "toxic" and "aimlessly".

Without a decision, London would have to inform the EU by 12 April about what to do next. It threatens a Brexit without agreements with serious consequences for the economy and the people on both sides of the English Channel.