The Latest: German foreign minister: Brexit vote ‘reckless’

STRASBOURG, France — The Latest on Brexit (all times local):

8:20 a.m.

Germany’s foreign minister says the U.K. Parliament’s rejection of the Brexit deal negotiated on Britain’s departure from the European Union was “reckless.”

Heiko Maas says the EU made “far-reaching additional offers and assurances” at Britain’s request this week.

In remarks released late Tuesday, Maas said the U.K. Parliament’s decision to reject the deal “brings a no-deal scenario ever closer.”

He added that “whoever rejects the agreement plays with the welfare of their citizens and the economy in a reckless way.”

Maas said Germany is prepared “as best as possible for this worst possible case,” though Germany hopes a disorderly Brexit can still be avoided in the coming 17 days.

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8:10 a.m.

The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator says Britain must finally get its act together as a chaotic no-deal departure from the bloc is little more than two weeks away.

Michel Barnier said Wednesday it was time for Westminster to change tack, after the U.K. parliament handed Prime Minister Theresa May another huge defeat on her freshly renegotiated Brexit deal.

Barnier said that “again the House of Commons says what it does not want. Now this impasse can only be solved in the U.K.”

The EU parliament’s Brexit group was meeting to assess the situation in Strasbourg, France before a plenary debate on the impasse.

British lawmakers rejected May’s Brexit deal in a 391-242 vote on Tuesday night. Parliament will vote Wednesday on whether to leave the EU without a deal.

The Associated Press

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