British Prime Minister Theresa May has bowed to political pressure and says that if Parliament rejects her Brexit deal, lawmakers will then get to decide whether to leave the EU without an agreement or seek to delay the country's departure from the bloc.

May says that if Parliament rejects her deal with the EU next month, lawmakers will then vote on whether to leave the bloc without an agreement. If that is defeated, as seems likely, they will vote on whether to ask the EU to postpone Britain's departure.

It's a major back-track for May, who previously ruled out a delay.

But the BBC's Stuart Hughes told Mike Hosking it will only give her a few more weeks of negotiating time.

"May told the Commons she wanted the delay to br as short as possible because any extension beyond the end of June would require the UK to take part in European elections."

Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, but so far the government has not been able to win Parliament's backing for its divorce deal with the bloc.

That leaves the U.K. facing a chaotic "no-deal" Brexit that could cause disruption for businesses and people in both Britain and the EU.

Opposition MPs are now pushing for a second referendum.