British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks after tellers announced the results of the vote Brexit deal in Parliament in London, Britain, March 12, 2019, in this screen grab taken from video. Reuters TV via REUTERS

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May has given up any pretence of leading Britain by allowing her lawmakers to vote according to their own beliefs rather than along party lines on Wednesday, the opposition Labour Party said on Tuesday.

May lost the second vote on her Brexit deal on Tuesday, when lawmakers handed her a humiliating defeat. She said she would allow Conservative lawmakers a so-called free vote on Wednesday when parliament will vote on whether it supports or rejects leaving the EU without a deal.

“Allowing a free vote on no deal shows Theresa May has given up any pretence of leading the country. Once again, she’s putting her party’s interests ahead of the public interest,” a Labour spokesman said in a statement.