Brexit: UK prime minister Theresa May says she will step down before 2022 national election

London: British Prime Minister Theresa May has confirmed that she will step down before the country holds its next scheduled national election in 2022. Arriving at an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, May said: “I think it is right that another party leader takes us into that general election.” Late Wednesday, May survived a no-confidence vote among her Conservative Party lawmakers, triggered by unhappiness in the party at the way she is handling Brexit. She secured victory by 200 votes to 117 after telling lawmakers at a private meeting that she would hand over power to another Conservative leader before the next election. [caption id=“attachment_4257767” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of UK prime minister Theresa May. Reuters[/caption] But May has not said what she will do if, as many expect, Britain faces an early national election triggered by divisions over Brexit. British lawmakers won’t be voting next week on Theresa May’s deal with the European Union for leaving the bloc. The leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, published a list of government business for next week — and there was no mention of the so-called meaningful vote on the Brexit bill. Earlier this week, May postponed the vote on the deal after realizing she was heading for a heavy defeat. The vote is now likely to be held next year, when Parliament returns from its Christmas break. Britain is due to leave the EU on 29 March. The German parliament has approved a motion stating that the Brexit deal can’t be renegotiated, underlining the stance of the government and European Union allies. The largely symbolic motion was approved hours before Chancellor Angela Merkel and the other 27 EU leaders gather in Brussels.