LONDON (Reuters) - Britain wants an orderly exit from the European Union but the legal default is still to leave on March 29 unless an alternative solution is put in place, Prime Minister Theresa May’s de-facto deputy said on Friday.

“I hope still we can leave as soon as possible in an orderly fashion but that depends upon parliamentary approval both in principle of a withdrawal agreement but also then the implementing legislation that has to follow before lawfully we can ratify that treaty,” David Lidington told BBC radio.

“By the end of March we have to have an alternative in place, not just a resolution of the House of Commons, a preference, but a solution in place that enables us to have an extension so there isn’t crash out on March 29.”