BRITISH Prime Minister Theresa May insisted Monday night that she had not caved in to the demands of Brexit-supporting politicians when she accepted a string of changes to crucial legislation.

After a noisy and ill-tempered debate lasting around seven hours, May emerged relatively unscathed. But in a crucial vote on her Customs Bill, there was a close shave when she won by just three votes, 305 against 302.

There was a blow for May when a member of her team, Defense Minister Guto Bebb resigned over the government’s acceptance of amendments put forward by Brexit supporter. Earlier Monday a parliamentary private secretary quit her team.

Amendments to a British parliament bill over a future cross-border customs arrangement after Brexit with the European Union were said in the House of Commons to risk wrecking the new trade deal blueprint May set out last week in her white paper.

May said claims that her Brexit plan was now dead in the water were wrong, insisting that the proposed changes submitted by Brexit-supporting Conservatives were consistent with her plans.

As MPs started several days of debates on Brexit legislation measures, Downing Street confirmed it was accepting four amendments related to the proposed working relationship between Britain and the EU.

One of the amendments would enshrine in law that there would be no customs border down the Irish Sea between the island of Ireland and the British mainland. The EU has called for a border in the middle of the Irish Sea to avoid the setting up of a hard land border between the Irish Republic and Norther Ireland.  (Xinhua)