Britain's Prime Minister, Theresa May
There will be no second referendum on Brexit, a spokesman for Britain's Theresa May said on Monday, repeating the prime minister's belief that her plan for leaving the European Union was the only way to get a deal that meets the government's aims.
"The British public have voted to leave the European Union. There is not going to be a second referendum ... under any circumstances," the spokesman told reporters.
The pound traded flat against the dollar and the euro on Monday ahead of a debate in parliament that could reveal significant dissatisfaction within British Prime Minister Theresa May's party over her plans for Brexit.Sterling has struggled to capitalise in recent weeks on signs the economy is improving because of mounting uncertainty over whether Britain can secure a trade deal with the EU before it leaves the bloc in March.Markets expect the Bank of England to hike interest rates in August but the British currency has fallen 9 percent since April partly because of a dispute between May and members of her party who feel she wants to keep Britain too closely tied to Brussels.The prime minister is expected to survive today's debate on a customs law but a vote on amendments will indicate the extent of parliament's dissatisfaction with her plan.Former UK minister calls for second vote on Brexit to end stalemateThat risks undermining the government and could increase the chances of an early election which would hurt the pound."Political uncertainty helps to explain why the pound has not strengthened yet on the back of the government's plans for a softer Brexit," said analysts at MUFG.At 0815 GMT the pound traded flat against the pound at $1.3242 and against the euro at 88.30 pence. .Sterling finished last week down one percent against the dollar, its biggest weekly drop since late May.President Donald Trump's visit to the UK last week added to uncertainty about Brexit talks and Britain's trade relationship with the United States after the divorce.British PM May warns: Back me or risk 'no Brexit at all'May attempted to face down would-be eurosceptic rebels by warning on Sunday that if they sink her premiership then they risk squandering the victory of an EU exit that they have dreamed about for decades.Meanwhile over the weekend, German business groups told members to prepare for a hard Brexit.Long bets on sterling have been whittled down in recent days with overall net positions mildly bearish on the currency, positioning data shows. 
Sterling flat ahead of UK parliament debate on Brexit
A former senior British minister called on Monday for a second referendum to solve a parliamentary stalemate on Brexit, saying Prime Minister Theresa May's proposals for new ties with the European Union were a fudge that satisfied no one.Justine Greening, an ex-Education Secretary who quit the government in January, said May's negotiating strategy would neither please those who wanted a clean break with the EU nor those who opposed Brexit altogether.Trump says US-Russia ties have 'never been worse'"We'll be dragging Remain voters out of the EU for a deal that means still complying with many EU rules, but now with no say on shaping them," Greening wrote in the Times newspaper."It's not what they want, and on top of that when they hear that Leave voters are unhappy, they ask, 'What's the point?'. For Leavers, this deal simply does not deliver the proper break from the European Union that they wanted."May has ruled out a rerun of the 2016 vote in which Britons voted 52-48 percent to leave the bloc.China looks to get cozy with EU in annual talks as Trump tariffs biteHer Brexit negotiating strategy, which aims for a close relationship with the EU after Britain leaves the bloc in March 2019, was only agreed with her cabinet earlier this month after two years of wrangling. Two senior ministers resigned in protest shortly afterwards.May is now facing a possible rebellion from Brexit supporters in her Conservative Party who want her to ditch her plan when lawmakers vote on amendments to legislation on the government's post-Brexit customs regime on Monday.However, she has told unhappy lawmakers that they needed to back her or risk there being no Brexit at all.Thailand gave diplomatic immunity to Australian medical team in cave rescueGreening said that with divisions in the Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party over how to proceed with Brexit, there should be another vote, with the public able to choose between May's plans, a "no-deal" break with the EU or remaining in the bloc."The only solution is to take the final Brexit decision out of the hands of deadlocked politicians, away from the backroom deals, and give it back to the people," she said.
Former UK minister calls for second vote on Brexit to end stalemate