London (CNN Business) Companies in the United Kingdom are suffering from a bad case of déjà vu after lawmakers rejected a second version of the Brexit deal negotiated by Prime Minister Theresa May.

"Enough is enough," said Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the Confederation of British Industry, a business lobby. "It's time for parliament to stop this circus," she added, stressing that "jobs and livelihoods depend on it."

The stunning defeat increases the chances that Britain will crash out of the European Union without a deal in just 17 days — doing big damage to the economy — or that Brexit will be delayed, prolonging the uncertainty for business.

"Businesses have warned time and again that the United Kingdom is not ready to face the consequences of a messy and disorderly exit from the European Union," said Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce.

Companies in Britain and the European Union have spent months preparing for a chaotic Brexit. Their biggest fear is a scenario where the United Kingdom crashes out of the bloc, leading to new trade barriers while putting jobs and investment at risk.

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