Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May
Around 30 to 40 lawmakers from the opposition Labour Party would be prepared to back a Brexit deal that British Prime Minister Theresa May is trying to strike with the European Union, The Times newspaper reported, citing unidentified lawmakers.
The EU's Brexit negotiators believe a divorce deal with Britain is "very close", diplomatic sources told Reuters last week, though it is unclear whether May could get the deal approved by the British parliament.
Around 320 votes in the 650-seat parliament are needed to be certain of winning a vote.
May has 315 lawmakers and governs with a working majority of 13 thanks to a deal with the 10 lawmakers of the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), though rebels in her own party say 40 of her lawmakers could vote against her deal.
The European Union's national ambassadors will meet late on Friday afternoon in Luxembourg without Britain to discuss Brexit, sources said, as divorce talks between London and the bloc are in their final stretch.A flurry of Brexit meetings will take the matter a political level higher almost every day for the 27 states that are remaining in the EU and negotiating Brexit together.They hope to reach an initial deal with Britain at an Oct. 17-18 leaders' summit in Brussels. Below is the choreography to try to get there:At least 40 lawmakers in UK PM May's party willing to vote down Brexit deal: Steve Baker* WEDNESDAY, Oct. 10 - EU's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is set to update the executive European Commission.* FRIDAY, Oct. 12 - 27 EU ambassadors meet at 1600 GMT in Luxembourg.* WEEKEND, Oct. 13-14 - Intense talks between the EU and British negotiators expected.* MONDAY, Oct. 15 - A meeting of "sherpas", or EU negotiators of each of the bloc's national leaders, scheduled in Brussels.* TUESDAY, Oct. 16 - 27 EU ministers take up the baton at talks in Luxembourg.* WEDNESDAY, Oct. 17 - EU summit starts in the afternoon in Brussels. 
EU envoys schedule late Friday talks in Brexit countdown
The Times said a group of between 30 to 40 Labour lawmakers could defy their leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and vote for a deal that May hopes to bring back by the end of the year.
In one scenario being discussed, Labour lawmakers would initially vote down any deal to prove loyalty to the leadership, but if parliamentary deadlock remained the rebels would back any deal that prevented a chaotic departure, The Times said.
If lawmakers reject a deal, May could fall and Britain would face leaving the EU without an agreement, a move investors and company chiefs say would weaken the West, panic financial markets and block the arteries of trade.
Without a deal the United Kingdom would move from seamless trade with the EU to customs arrangements set by the World Trade Organization for external states.
At least 40 lawmakers in Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party are willing to vote down her possible Brexit deal if it leaves the United Kingdom 'half in and half out' of the European Union, a senior rebel lawmaker said on Tuesday."My estimate is that there are at least 40 colleagues who are not going to accept a 'half in, half out' Chequers deal or indeed a backstop that leaves us in the internal market and the customs union," lawmaker Steve Baker told BBC radio."Colleagues will not tolerate a half in, half out Brexit," said Baker, who served as a junior Brexit minister in May's government until he resigned in protest at her Brexit proposals.No divorce without precise future framework: spokesman for UK's MayThousands of German firms sought advice on Brexit
At least 40 lawmakers in UK PM May's party willing to vote down Brexit deal: Steve Baker
Britain cannot agree a withdrawal deal with the European Union without securing a precise framework for their future relationship, a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday."There can be no withdrawal agreement without a precise future framework," he told reporters.Britain and the EU will resume talks this week on the detail of Britain's withdrawal from the bloc and on its future relationship. EU leaders will meet next week to try to conclude a deal but any final agreement may have to wait until a special meeting in November.Thousands of German firms sought advice on BrexitAfter more positive comments from the EU over the Brexit negotiations, the spokesman said there was a difference between optimistic talk about a deal being done and getting an agreement, again calling on the bloc to move its position."It's worth me pointing out that there's a difference between people talking optimistically about a deal, and a deal including both the withdrawal agreement and the future framework, actually being agreed," he said."There remain big issues to work through."UK welcome to join Pacific trade deal, Japanese PM says
No divorce without precise future framework: spokesman for UK's May