LONDON -- A senior British Cabinet minister has said that a second referendum or a so-called "Norway-plus" deal could be in the cards if Prime Minister Theresa May fails to win lawmakers' approval for her Brexit deal.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd is the first minister to discuss a "Plan B" should May be defeated in a key parliamentary vote scheduled for Tuesday.

Rudd, who backs May's Brexit deal, said "anything could happen" if the government is defeated in Parliament, and predicted a chaotic period.

She told the Times on Saturday that while none of the possible alternatives is better than the current Brexit deal, she would prefer a model similar to Norway, which is not an EU member but is part of the European Economic Area.