British Prime Minister Theresa May came under pressure Monday to explain what further assurances she can secure from the EU before MPs vote on her unpopular Brexit deal next week, after the bloc repeated it would not renegotiate the text.
With Brexit looming on March 29, opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused May of "running down the clock in an attempt to blackmail" parliament into supporting her withdrawal deal.
The House of Commons returned from its Christmas break ready to resume debating the withdrawal deal struck with the EU in November, before voting on it next week, possibly on January 15.
May postponed the vote last month because of intense opposition from MPs, promising further clarifications from Brussels.
But after an EU summit in December, and talks with the Dutch, French, German, Spanish and EU leaders in recent days, she admitted these are still proving elusive.
"We are continuing to work on further assurances, on further undertakings from the European Union," she told reporters.
A government source conceded these may not be secured before MPs resume debating the Brexit deal on Wednesday.
In Brussels, European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas repeated that the Brexit deal would not be reopened.
"There are no negotiations, because all we have on the table is what we consider given, acquired and approved," he said.
There are concerns in Westminster that without any breakthrough in Brussels, May could delay the vote again, bringing Britain closer to leaving the EU with no agreement in place.
The Brexit deal took nearly two years to negotiate and only covers separation issues, leaving open the future relationship - but it has provoked anger on all sides in London.
May survived a confidence vote in her own Conservative party over the agreement in December, but her Brexit-backing MPs are still in open revolt.
Labour says it would renegotiate the deal, and is angling for new elections.
The prime minister warned on Sunday that rejecting her deal would put Britain "in uncharted territory".
Her spokesman denied Monday that the government could delay Brexit, after junior minister Margot James said that this might be necessary to avoid Britain leaving without no deal.
Some Brexit supporters say there is nothing to be feared from this.
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson said a 'no deal' scenario was actually "closest to what people voted for" in the 2016 referendum to leave the bloc.