UK MPs back Brexit delay ahead of Brussels summit

British MPs in the House of Commons voted in favor Tuesday of seeking to delay Britain's membership of the European Union until June 30.

Following debate, lawmakers backed the call by 420 votes to 110.

They want the EU to agree to what would be a second extension to Article 50, the measure that determines Britain's departure date from the bloc.

Without an extension or a potential withdrawal deal with Brussels, Britain is due to leave the EU this coming Friday.

The vote will be seen as a boost for Prime Minister Theresa May who will be asking for a delay when she addresses leaders Wednesday (April 10) of the 27 other member states of the EU in Brussels.

May has spent the day in Europe seeking support for an extension ahead of tomorrow's emergency summit meeting of the EU council, called specifically to discuss the Brexit crisis.

May met Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel Tuesday before heading to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron.

In London, May's top ministers were holding talks with the main opposition Labour Party to seek a potential deal to break a Brexit logjam.

Britain had originally been scheduled to reach a deal with the EU by March 29. Her Brexit deal, reached between London and Brussels in November 2018, has been rejected by the parliament three times since January.

Downing Street said Tuesday that the government and the opposition Labour Party will resume talks on Thursday in order to break the current Brexit deadlock.

Three days of cross-party talks ended on Friday without progress in finding a way out of the Brexit impasse. However, a British government spokesman said Tuesday that both sides were "working hard to agreeing a way forward".

The final decision on a Brexit delay lies with the European Union. The leaders of all the 27 other European Union member states have to decide whether to grant or reject an extension.

If the UK is still a member of the European Union on May 23, it will have to take part in European Parliamentary elections.