British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday refused twice to say her much criticised Brexit deal would ensure that Britain will be better off after the departure from the European Union (EU), but predicted she will still be in her job in a fortnight, when the House of Commons will vote on the Britain-EU agreement.

Her prediction is seen as a possible sign she is planning a second Commons vote on her Brexit deal if it is defeated in eight days.

Asked on ITV's This Morning to assure the nation that it would be more prosperous under her leaving deal, the prime minister replied: "We can be better off."

UNCERTAIN WORDS

Asked to say again "we will be" better off, May just said: "That's up to us."

May's uncertain words came with just over a week to go before the vote in the Commons on whether to endorse her agreement on the terms Britain will leave the large trading bloc, plus an outline declaration on possible future trade terms.

At present, the prime minister faces growing political pressure in the run-up to the historic Commons vote on the Brexit withdrawal agreement on Dec. 11. The parliament will kick off a five-day debate on the controversial deal starting Tuesday.

The British government and the Bank of England both said in their separate reports last week that the country will be worse off after leaving the regional bloc on March 29 next year, in contrast to public expectations that the country will be able to take back its control and prosperous after the divorce.

Her uncertain and certain words came in both situations when she avoided giving direct answers to questions by the TV presenter.

Meanwhile, the prime minster was pressed by Phillip Schofield on the TV programme who asked: "In two weeks time, will you be booking a holiday, do you think you'll still have a job in two weeks time?"

Laughing, she assured him that she would still be in her post, adding: "My job is to ensure we do what the public asked us to."

"I will still have a job in two weeks' time," she said, calling on members of parliament to "hold our nerve."

The prime minister ducked direct questions if she would resign if her deal fell through, saying: "I'm focusing on, you know, getting that vote, and getting the vote over the line."

"This is not a, sort of 'oh, well, it's just any old vote'," she said. "Actually, this is about delivering for what people voted for when they voted in that referendum to leave the EU."

Ever since taking office in 2016 shortly after the Brexit referendum, the prime minister repeatedly pledged that her government will work very hard to deliver Brexit in accordance with the referendum outcome.

She dismissed calls for a second referendum, but left the door open for a possible change of mind. She also ruled out any possible amendment to the Brexit deal put to vote in the parliament.

GROWING PRESSURE

Also on Monday, senior Labour member of parliament, Yvette Cooper, appealed in the Standard Evening newspaper for the members of parliament on all sides to unite to prevent a no-deal Brexit.

Cooper said the parliament had to take control because May had "done so little to build trust or confidence so far."

Cooper also backed an extension of Article 50 to postpone Brexit, saying that "this is a mess and we are going to need enough time to sort it out."

The prime minister appeared to have given up attempting to unveil a tough clampdown on low-skilled immigration ahead of the Brexit vote.

British Home Secretary Sajid Javid on Monday admitted it was "very unlikely" that the long-delayed White Paper setting out a future immigration system would be revealed before it.

May is being defied by at least three cabinet members including Javid, who want low-skilled workers from overseas to be allowed in to prevent gaps in the workforce for sectors like social care and hospitality, according to the widely read newspaper.

"It's unlikely, actually very unlikely, to be published before the vote," Javid told Radio 4's Today programme. "It will be published soon."

Previously, the home secretary has said he thought it would come in time for members of parliament to weigh it up before voting on Brexit.

Downing Street on Monday defied warnings it will be held in contempt of Parliament by refusing to publish full legal advice about May's Brexit deal.

Labour, the Scottish National Party, the Liberal Democratics and the Democratic Unionists have signed a joint letter to John Bercow, the Commons speaker, suggesting the government was in contempt of parliament for failing to publish the full Brexit legal advice from British Attorney General Geoffrey Cox.

On Monday afternoon, Cox gave the Commons a pared-down statement setting out only what the government was prepared to reveal it was told.

But pressure rose after a new apparent leak in the Daily Telegraph, which said May's Brexit adviser Olly Robbins warned the backstop risked a "bad outcome" in which regulatory checks would be needed across the Irish Sea and security co-operation would be at risk.

In her statement to brief the parliament on her trip to the just concluded Group of 20 (G20) summit on Monday afternoon, the prime minister said that Britain will seek to set up new markets after Brexit.

Members of Parliament will vote on Dec.11 on the deal with British Environment Secretary Michael Gove warning on Sunday that if the deal did not get enough support "there is a chance of no Brexit at all or a second referendum."

May said, "When it comes to the vote, I hope MPs (members of parliament) will put the national interest first and recognise that we have a duty to do what the people asked us to."

She insisted that the Brexit deal is in the best interest of the country, including job and security.

During her appearance on ITV she was asked about her testing role as prime minister. She said, "Politics is tough. It's the same as any other job."

Responding to questions over a possible second referendum, she said, "People are talking on a second vote when we haven't even delivered on a first vote. We asked people to vote and we said please decide. People voted to leave and I think there is a democratic duty to deliver on it. So let's deliver on the first vote."

She was also asked about a television debate with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Brexit which is penned for Dec.9.

Downing Street accused Corbyn on Sunday of "running scared" of a Brexit TV debate.

Corbyn said on Saturday that he was prepared to accept Downing Street's preferred option of the BBC, provided it was a straight head to head discussion between the two leaders.

The Labour leader had previously indicated his support for a rival ITV proposal based on a simple one-on-one format, in contrast to the BBC offer which also involves the leaders taking questions from a wider panel.