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European Union offers UK more time to leave bloc
22 Mar '19
2 min read
Prime Minister Theresa May has been offered two weeks’ Brexit reprieve by the European Union (EU) if she fails to urge her parliamentarians to support the withdrawal treaty she concluded. The extension date of May 22 will apply if parliament backs May next week, or else the United Kingdom will offer a new plan by April 12 or choose to quit the EU without a treaty.
The decision was the outcome of a March 21 summit in Brussels, according to global newswires.
EU leaders had planned to endorse a shorter extension, to May 22, the eve of EU parliamentary elections, and leave any discussion of how to deal with May losing until next week. But May reportedly failed to reassure EU diplomats she could win.
May had wanted to be able to delay Britain’s departure until June 30 to tie up legislative loose ends and tried to reassure the EU that she could overturn two heavy defeats to clinch last-gasp parliamentary ratification of her deal next week, so allowing a status-quo transition period to come into effect.
All options will be open till April 12 and the cliff-edge date will be delayed, said summit chair Donald Tusk. “The UK government will still have a choice between a deal, no deal, a long extension or revoking Article 50 (the withdrawal notice),” he said.
If the United Kingdom decides by April 12 against holding the EU election, it could then leave the EU without a deal at any time up to May 22.
French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned it was the responsibility of British lawmakers to approve a Brexit deal and make sure their country does not crash out of the bloc without an agreement.
Opposition to May’s deal among British politicians reportedly appeared to be hardening after she blamed Parliament for the Brexit impasse early this week. In a televised address on March 20, she accused lawmakers of ‘infighting’, ‘political games’ and ‘arcane procedural rows’. (DS)
The decision was the outcome of a March 21 summit in Brussels, according to global newswires.
EU leaders had planned to endorse a shorter extension, to May 22, the eve of EU parliamentary elections, and leave any discussion of how to deal with May losing until next week. But May reportedly failed to reassure EU diplomats she could win.
May had wanted to be able to delay Britain’s departure until June 30 to tie up legislative loose ends and tried to reassure the EU that she could overturn two heavy defeats to clinch last-gasp parliamentary ratification of her deal next week, so allowing a status-quo transition period to come into effect.
All options will be open till April 12 and the cliff-edge date will be delayed, said summit chair Donald Tusk. “The UK government will still have a choice between a deal, no deal, a long extension or revoking Article 50 (the withdrawal notice),” he said.
If the United Kingdom decides by April 12 against holding the EU election, it could then leave the EU without a deal at any time up to May 22.
French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned it was the responsibility of British lawmakers to approve a Brexit deal and make sure their country does not crash out of the bloc without an agreement.
Opposition to May’s deal among British politicians reportedly appeared to be hardening after she blamed Parliament for the Brexit impasse early this week. In a televised address on March 20, she accused lawmakers of ‘infighting’, ‘political games’ and ‘arcane procedural rows’. (DS)
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