FILE PHOTO: Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union Stephen Barclay is seen outside Downing Street in London, Britain, March 12, 2019. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s Brexit minister Stephen Barclay said on Wednesday a failure to leave the European Union posed a bigger risk to Britain than leaving the bloc without a deal.

Lawmakers will vote later on Wednesday on whether Britain should leave the EU on March 29 without any agreement with the bloc having rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement on Tuesday.

“If you pushed me to the end point where it’s a choice between no deal and no Brexit ... I think no deal is going to be very disruptive for the economy and I think no deal also has serious questions for the union,” Barclay told BBC radio.

“But I think no Brexit is catastrophic for our democracy. Between those very unpleasant choices, I think no Brexit is the bigger risk.”