LONDON — British Prime Minister Theresa May refused Thursday to rule out Britain leaving the European Union without a deal, after the Bank of England warned that such a scenario could plunge the country into its deepest recession in decades.

Parliament is due to vote Dec. 11 on the divorce deal May’s government has struck with the EU, and lawmakers from all sides are vowing to reject it.

May was asked by a committee of lawmakers whether she would act to stop a no-deal Brexit if Parliament throws out the agreement.

She said that “if the House were to vote down the deal that has been agreed” there would have to be “some practical steps in relation to no deal.”

“Obviously decisions would have to be taken,” she said.

The Bank of England said Wednesday that in a worst-case no-deal scenario, Britain’s economy would shrink 8 percent within months as unemployment and inflation soared and the value of the pound plunged.

Bank governor Mark Carney said Thursday that most British businesses were not prepared for a no-deal Brexit.

Carney told the BBC that “less than half of businesses have initiated” contingency plans designed to protect operations in the event Britain leaves the 28-nation bloc without an agreement on future trading relations.

Separate analysis by government economists said Britain will be poorer after Brexit than if it had stayed in the EU.

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