LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will make a statement to parliament at 1530 GMT before lawmakers continue their debate on her Brexit deal, Sky News reported on Monday.

Parliament is due to vote on Tuesday on whether to back May’s withdrawal deal from the European Union but it is expected that the agreement will be defeated.

Sky said May’s statement would focus on new assurances from the EU about the Irish backstop - an insurance policy to prevent the return of border controls between the British province of Northern Ireland and the Irish republic.