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May asks for Brexit extension to 30 June as Tusk offers up to a year May asks for Brexit extension to 30 June as Tusk offers up to a year
(32 minutes later)
Theresa May has written to Donald Tusk to ask for Brexit to be delayed until 30 June while she battles to win cross-party agreement on a way forward.Theresa May has written to Donald Tusk to ask for Brexit to be delayed until 30 June while she battles to win cross-party agreement on a way forward.
Rather than the year-long flexible extension to article 50 recommended by the European council president, the prime minister suggested 30 June as the new departure date, but with an option to leave earlier if the necessary legislation has been passed.Rather than the year-long flexible extension to article 50 recommended by the European council president, the prime minister suggested 30 June as the new departure date, but with an option to leave earlier if the necessary legislation has been passed.
That is the same date requested by the government last month but rejected by EU leaders in Brussels. Unless a new date is signed off at an emergency EU summit on Wednesday, Britain is due to leave without a deal on 12 April.That is the same date requested by the government last month but rejected by EU leaders in Brussels. Unless a new date is signed off at an emergency EU summit on Wednesday, Britain is due to leave without a deal on 12 April.
Brexit: May accused of being 'at odds with reality' after requesting extension already rejected by EU - live newsBrexit: May accused of being 'at odds with reality' after requesting extension already rejected by EU - live news
In the letter, drafted after a second day of talks with Labour, May said both parties accepted the need to pass the legally binding withdrawal agreement, but had not reached consensus on the future relationship. In the letter, drafted after a second day of talks with Labour, May said both parties accepted the need to pass the legally binding withdrawal agreement but had not reached consensus on the future relationship.
If that is not possible, May said, she hoped to agree with Labour a process for parliament to choose between possible options, by which both sides would promise to abide. If that was not possible, May said, she hoped to agree with Labour a process for parliament to choose between possible options, the outcome of which both sides would promise to accept.
That could allow parliament to ratify the deal, pass the necessary legislation and leave before 22 May, meaning the UK would avoid participating in European parliament elections, the prime minister added.That could allow parliament to ratify the deal, pass the necessary legislation and leave before 22 May, meaning the UK would avoid participating in European parliament elections, the prime minister added.
But she conceded the government would be “under a legal obligation” to hold those elections if it had not left in time.But she conceded the government would be “under a legal obligation” to hold those elections if it had not left in time.
“The government will want to agree a timetable for ratification that allows the United Kingdom to withdraw from the EU before 23 May 2019 and therefore cancel the European parliament elections, but will continue to make responsible preparations to hold the elections should this not prove possible,” she said.“The government will want to agree a timetable for ratification that allows the United Kingdom to withdraw from the EU before 23 May 2019 and therefore cancel the European parliament elections, but will continue to make responsible preparations to hold the elections should this not prove possible,” she said.
The request for a short extension is likely to exasperate remain-supporting cabinet ministers who have urged her to seek a longer delay. But May would have faced a backlash from leavers if she had requested a longer period. In a long cabinet meeting earlier this week, ministers made several strongly worded arguments against any extension at all. The request for a short extension is likely to exasperate remain-supporting cabinet ministers who have urged her to seek a longer delay. But May would have faced a backlash from leavers if she had requested a longer period. In a long cabinet meeting this week, ministers made several strongly worded arguments against any extension at all.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the chair of the backbench European Research Group, tweeted that if the UK were forced to remain an EU member for a longer period, it should be as obstructive as possible.Jacob Rees-Mogg, the chair of the backbench European Research Group, tweeted that if the UK were forced to remain an EU member for a longer period, it should be as obstructive as possible.
If a long extension leaves us stuck in the EU we should be as difficult as possible. We could veto any increase in the budget, obstruct the putative EU army and block Mr Macron’s integrationist schemes.If a long extension leaves us stuck in the EU we should be as difficult as possible. We could veto any increase in the budget, obstruct the putative EU army and block Mr Macron’s integrationist schemes.
In her letter, the prime minister wrote: “The United Kingdom is seeking a further extension … [and] proposes that this period should end on 30 June 2019. If the parties are able to ratify before this date, the government proposes that the period should be terminated early.”In her letter, the prime minister wrote: “The United Kingdom is seeking a further extension … [and] proposes that this period should end on 30 June 2019. If the parties are able to ratify before this date, the government proposes that the period should be terminated early.”
Talks between the government and Labour are due to resume on Friday morning. Sources on both sides said discussions on Thursday had been serious and detailed, but the government had not yet made it clear how it might be willing to compromise. Talks between the government and Labour are due to resume on Friday morning. Sources on both sides said discussions on Thursday had been serious and detailed, but the government had not yet made it clear how it could be willing to compromise.
Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, warned he would face “difficulty” among the party’s MPs if he sought to agree a deal without a referendum attached. Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, said he would face “difficulty” among the party’s MPs if he sought to agree a deal without a referendum attached.
“I am a reluctant convert to the idea of a confirmatory ballot. I genuinely believe it was parliament’s job to sort this out and there should have been a meaningful vote, but in two years we have just hit cul-de-sac after cul-de-sac, so clearly we went into the discussions with the idea that there would be a confirmatory ballot,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.“I am a reluctant convert to the idea of a confirmatory ballot. I genuinely believe it was parliament’s job to sort this out and there should have been a meaningful vote, but in two years we have just hit cul-de-sac after cul-de-sac, so clearly we went into the discussions with the idea that there would be a confirmatory ballot,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
May’s move came as the Guardian reported Tusk was pushing the EU27 to offer her a one-year “flexible” extension to article 50, with an option to leave earlier once the withdrawal agreement was ratified by parliament. Tusk is pushing the EU27 to offer a one-year “flexible” extension to article 50, with an option to leave earlier once the withdrawal agreement is ratified by parliament. He is said to have described the plan as “the only reasonable way out”.
Tusk, who is said to have described the plan as “the only reasonable way out”, was due to tell leaders at a summit on Wednesday that the “flextension” would avoid them having to consider extra delays every few weeks. Tusk was due to tell leaders at a summit on Wednesday that the “flextension” would avoid them having to consider extra delays every few weeks. The EU27 would need to unanimously agree to the plan.
The EU27 would need to unanimously agree to the plan, which he was backing after hours of preparatory meetings ending late on Thursday, senior EU sources said. Tusk is determined to give Downing Street as much flexibility as possible to avoid any suggestion that Brussels is seeking to trap Britain in the EU. But the prime minister’s suggestion of 30 June is unlikely to appeal to the EU27.
Tusk is determined to give Downing Street as much flexibility as possible to avoid any suggestion that Brussels is seeking to trap Britain in the EU.
But the prime minister’s suggestion of 30 June is unlikely to appeal to the EU27.
While May said in her letter that she would hold European elections should the UK remain in the EU past 22 May, the proposal would create yet another cliff-edge date in the summer.While May said in her letter that she would hold European elections should the UK remain in the EU past 22 May, the proposal would create yet another cliff-edge date in the summer.
The EU would be in a transition phase, with the terms of Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, and Tusk coming to an end, and it opens up the possibility of leaders being dragged into making serial extensions over time. The EU would be in a transition phase, with the terms of Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, and Tusk coming to an end, and it would open up the possibility of leaders being dragged into making serial extensions over time.
While the UK would be expected to leave earlier, its nominal final day in the EU under the year-long extension would likely be 31 May 2020, with the UK falling out on April Fools’ Day, as first revealed by the Guardian. A senior official said Tusk told senior figures on Thursday evening that the flextension was the best solution for both sides.
A senior official said Tusk told senior figures on Thursday evening that it was the best solution for both sides. “The only reasonable way out would be a long but flexible extension,” Tusk reportedly said. “I would call it a ‘flextension’. How would it work in practice? We could give the UK a year-long extension, automatically terminated once the withdrawal agreement has been accepted and ratified by the House of Commons.”
“The only reasonable way out would be a long but flexible extension,” Tusk was said to have told officials. “I would call it a ‘flextension’. How would it work in practice? We could give the UK a year-long extension, automatically terminated once the withdrawal agreement has been accepted and ratified by the House of Commons.” The source said Tusk told officials that “even if this were not possible then the UK would still have enough time to rethink its Brexit strategy. Short extension if possible and a long one if necessary. It seems to be a good scenario for both sides as it gives the UK all the necessary flexibility while avoiding the need to meet every few weeks to further discuss Brexit extensions.”
The source said Tusk told officials that “even if this were not possible then the UK would still have enough time to rethink its Brexit strategy. Short extension if possible and a long one if necessary. It seems to be a good scenario for both sides, as it gives the UK all the necessary flexibility, while avoiding the need to meet every few weeks to further discuss Brexit extensions.”
There will be concerns in some EU capitals about both the length of the proposed extension, given the potential for the British government to meddle in the EU’s long-term planning, and the uncertainty it would create about the UK’s position in the bloc.There will be concerns in some EU capitals about both the length of the proposed extension, given the potential for the British government to meddle in the EU’s long-term planning, and the uncertainty it would create about the UK’s position in the bloc.
The failure of the UK parliament to coalesce around a post-Brexit vision will be a source of frustration for Emmanuel Macron, the French president, who has insisted the UK must have a “credible plan” for the EU to offer any further extension.The failure of the UK parliament to coalesce around a post-Brexit vision will be a source of frustration for Emmanuel Macron, the French president, who has insisted the UK must have a “credible plan” for the EU to offer any further extension.
EU sources said the plan would, however, offer the reassurance that Britain would be making its own fortune and not dragging Brussels into its crisis.EU sources said the plan would, however, offer the reassurance that Britain would be making its own fortune and not dragging Brussels into its crisis.
The UK would have to hold elections to the European parliament on 23 May under the Tusk plan, but British MEPs would leave the chamber once the UK had departed from the bloc. The UK would have to hold elections to the European parliament on 23 May under the Tusk plan, but British MEPs would leave the chamber once the UK had departed from the bloc. MEPs from the other 27 member states would then step in, sources suggested.
MEPs from the other 27 member states would then step in, sources suggested. The attorney general, Geoffrey Cox, said in an interview with the BBC that he thought the offer from the EU was “likely to be a long one” and would have to be accepted by Downing Street.
The development came as the attorney general, Geoffrey Cox, said in an interview with the BBC that he thought the offer from the EU was “likely to be a long one” and would have to be accepted by Downing Street. The current legal position is that the UK will leave the EU at 11pm BST on 12 April. The prime minister had said this week that she would seek a short extension until 22 May to allow cross-party talks with the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, to come to fruition.
The current legal position is that the UK will leave the EU at 11pm BST on 12 April. The prime minister had said earlier this week that she would seek a short extension until 22 May to allow cross-party talks with the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, to come to fruition.
But speaking to the European parliament within 24 hours of May making her intent clear, Juncker rejected the suggestion. He instead set an “ultimate deadline” of 12 April for the Commons to approve the withdrawal agreement.But speaking to the European parliament within 24 hours of May making her intent clear, Juncker rejected the suggestion. He instead set an “ultimate deadline” of 12 April for the Commons to approve the withdrawal agreement.
“If it has not done so by then, no further short extension will be possible,” he said. “After 12 April, we risk jeopardising the European parliament elections, and so threaten the functioning of the European Union.”“If it has not done so by then, no further short extension will be possible,” he said. “After 12 April, we risk jeopardising the European parliament elections, and so threaten the functioning of the European Union.”
BrexitBrexit
Theresa MayTheresa May
Donald TuskDonald Tusk
European UnionEuropean Union
Jean-Claude JunckerJean-Claude Juncker
EuropeEurope
Article 50Article 50
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