UK government mulls Brexit options if deal fails in parliament: UK official

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government is considering different options on what to do if parliament fails to approve Prime Minister Theresa May's deal to leave the European Union by March 12, a government official said on Monday.

May's decision to push back a vote on her deal, which she is trying to change in talks with the EU, has triggered reports that she may be forced to extend Article 50, which launched the two-year Brexit negotiating period, beyond March 29.

She has so far stuck to her line that any extension would only defer a decision on Brexit rather than solving the impasse in parliament over whether to approve the deal.

The government is “considering what to do if parliament makes that decision (does not pass the deal)”, the official said when asked about a possible extension.