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"We've got to look at what we can do next and we have to do
something different," Brandon Lewis told BBC radio on Saturday
when asked if May might try to put her withdrawal agreement to a
parliamentary vote yet again.
Lawmakers rejected May's Brexit deal for a third time on Friday,
leaving Britain's withdrawal from the EU in turmoil on the day
it was originally due to leave the bloc.
"Parliament will continue this process on Monday and we've got
to look at all the options," Lewis said.
With parliament and the government deadlocked on May's deal, it
remains unclear how, when or even whether Britain will leave the
EU.
On Monday lawmakers will try to agree on an alternative Brexit
plan that could command majority cross-party support. The
options that have so far gathered most support involve closer
ties to the EU and a second referendum.
Lewis said the option of a customs union would be difficult to
pursue because it flew in the face of the Conservatives' pledges
before the 2017 national election and did not respect the
outcome of the 2016 Brexit referendum.
When asked if a way out of the impasse was to hold a fresh
national election, Lewis said he did not think British voters
wanted to return to the polls.
The BBC said government officials had not ruled out the
possibility of a run-off vote in parliament between the most
popular option proposed by lawmakers and May's deal.
Lewis backed May to continue as prime minister but said he was
aware of a letter sent to her by Conservative lawmakers calling
for her to resign.
(Reporting by William Schomberg and Elisabeth O'Leary; Editing
by Catherine Evans)
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