«Breaking News» Brexit will only be delayed if May can pass deal next week, says EU's Tusk

The EU will give Britain a 'short' Brexit delay but only if MPs back Theresa May's deal next week, European Council President Donald Tusk said today – setting up a dramatic political showdown days before the UK is due to leave.

The dramatic intervention came hours after the Prime Minister revealed she had asked to delay Brexit until June 30, and indicated that she could quit if it is postponed beyond then.

Tomorrow's summit now looks certain to set the stage for an historic and pivotal week in British politics as the Brexit endgame goes right down to the wire. 

If no delay or deal is agreed with the EU before Friday, the law says Britain will leave without a deal - despite years of dire warnings about its impact on Britain.

If May's deal fails, the EU has not ruled out offering a longer delay but this would likely come with preconditions such as a second referendum. Alternatively they could choose to let the UK crash out of the bloc. 

Speaking in Brussels today Mr Tusk said: 'In the light of the consultations that I have conducted over the past days, I believe that a short extension would be possible. 

'But it would be conditional on a positive vote on the Withdrawal Agreement in the House of Commons. 'The question remains open as to the duration of such an extension.'

Eurosceptic Cabinet ministers were pictured leaving Downing Street in a seemingly jovial mood before Tusk's announcement amid claims some had threatened to resign last night if Mrs May had pushed for a delay of nine-months. 

Their rebellion yesterday forced the PM to shelve plans to ask for a longer delay, while the Commons is seemingly still deadlocked with no majority for a deal.

Mrs May is meeting Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tonight and is expected to speak later to underline her plans for the three month delay to finally secure her deal.  

Donald Tusk made a short speech in Brussels today after speaking to Theresa May by telephone and following talks with EU leaders over the past week

Theresa May (pictured tonight leaving Downing Street) has today admitted she has asked the EU to delay Brexit - having said 108 times Britain would leave on March 29

A smiling Michael Gove leads a charge of Brexiteer cabinet ministers leaving Downing Street including Chris Grayling, Liam Fox, Penny Mordaunt, Andrea Leadsom and Liz Truss (left to right) today after being summoned by Theresa May

In the Commons at PMQs today (pictured) Theresa May condemned MPs for 'navel gazing' over Europe and said their refusal to pass the deal was to blame for delay 

Mrs May came under fire from both sides of the Commons as she scrambled to shore up both her own political future and Britain's exit from the EU 

So Brexit has come to this: As May pleads for a three month Brexit delay this is what happens next 

What is May asking for at the summit tomorrow? 

The Prime Minister wants the EU Council to rubberstamp the extra three documents she agreed with the EU Commission on the backstop last week.

She hopes this, combined with new promises at home on a role for the Northern Ireland Assembly, will be enough to convince John Bercow to allow a third vote on her deal.

Mrs May will ask the EU to give her a three month extension to deliver the deal with these commitments. 

Will she get it? 

Probably - but only on condition MPs pass the deal next week.

Donald Tusk announced today a short extension was 'possible' but that the details still needed to be hammered out.

There are tricky issues:  

First, the bloc only wants a short extension to run until May 23 - the date of European Parliament elections in the UK. It will insist Britain is out of the bloc if it has no MEPs. 

Second, it has said there must be a clear reason for delay. This could be time to implement the agreed deal or time for an election or referendum that might set a new path for Brexit.  

How is Brexit delayed, if the EU agrees? 

To change the law, the Government would have to get a law change through Parliament.

This can be done with a Statutory Instrument - a simple short piece of law - that tweaks the EU Withdrawal Act 2018 to change the current date to something else.

In an emergency, it could likely be got through the Commons and Lords in two days - and conceivably a single day assuming there were votes to win procedural changes.

What happens if Brussels says No? 

This unlocks a number of possible scenarios. 

First, Mrs May could come home and try and get her deal agreed by MPs anyway.

Second, she could accept her deal is dead and invite MPs to choose a different course.

Third, the Prime Minister could say Britain now has no choice but to leave the EU with no deal.  

Will there be a second EU summit if there are no conclusions tomorrow?  

Possibly. If the EU sends Mrs May home to come up with a concrete plan, they could agree to an emergency second summit next week. 

Organised EU summits is difficult - it requires 28 national leaders to turn up - but the EU is eager for Britain to leave with a deal. 

It means if Mrs May can get her deal through, leaders might reconvene to green light a short delay at the 11th hour. If she gets a Commons vote on an alternative plan, such as a referendum, she could ask them to meet again for a longer delay. 

Will there be a third meaningful vote and if so when?  

Mrs May has told the EU she wants a third vote 'as soon as possible' if they agree to give her a delay. 

This now looks certain to be early next week - if Speaker John Bercow agrees. He has insisted a new motion must be 'substantially' different.   

Mr Bercow alone will make this ruling and it is impossible to predict.  

What happens if the deal is defeated again?  

This also unlocks a number of possible consequences.

First, given the proximity of exit day a third defeat next week would dramatically raise the risk of a No Deal Brexit on Friday. This could easily trigger a vote of no confidence in the Government - forcing pro-EU Tories to choose between voting with Jeremy Corbyn or accepting No Deal.

Second, Mrs May has said if MPs continue rejecting the deal they will have to choose an alternative path. The Government would probably hold an indicative vote on the various options and hope for a longer delay at the last minute.

Third, Mrs May could simply resign and hand the mess over to someone else in acknowledgement her flagship policy has fallen to historic failure.

Fourth, if she already has a delay agreed by Brussels she could keep pressing on in the hope something comes up.    

Mr Tusk added: 'If the leaders approve my recommendations and there is a positive vote in the House of Commons next week, we can finalise and formalise the decision on extension in the written procedure.

'However, if there is such a need, I will not hesitate to invite the members of the European Council for a meeting to Brussels next week.'

In a major headache for May Speaker John Bercow said on Monday she could not put the same meaningful vote to MPs again after they rejected it twice, limiting her room for maneuver as she tries to break the constitutional deadlock.

Eurosceptics including Michael Gove, Andrea Leadsom, Liam Fox, Liz Truss and Penny Mordaunt all left Downing Street together amid claims some had threatened to resign last night if Mrs May had pushed for a delay of nine-months.

This show of Brexiteer strength came amid growing rumours that Mrs May will address the nation outside No 10 tonight after blaming MPs for failing to deliver Brexit on March 29.

The PM has also invited the leaders of the opposition parties including Jeremy Corbyn to discuss her Brexit delay at a 6pm meeting in Downing Street before heading back to Parliament to address her backbenchers and urge them to vote for her divorce. 

But Remainers were less upbeat, with Tory former attorney general Dominic Grieve QC warning the Government's credibility 'is running out'.

He said: 'When ... the Prime Minister came to the despatch box today at PMQs, I confess I think it was the worst moment I have experienced since I came into the House of Commons. 

'I have never felt more ashamed to be a member of the Conservative Party or to be asked to lend her support.'

He added: 'We really are, I'm sorry to say this, at the 11th hour and 59th minute, the Government's credibility is running out, trust in it is running out and unless ... the Prime Minister by some great exertion of will, and she has plenty of will and plenty of robustness, stands up and starts doing something different, we are going to spiral down into oblivion and the worst part of it all is that we will deserve it.'

Some MPs reacted with frustration on Twitter after the Prime Minister announced she would attempt to extend Article 50 until June 30 and proposed a third meaningful vote on her Brexit deal.

Labour's former minister Yvette Cooper said Mrs May was 'in the worst state of denial'.

'Truly shocking,' she tweeted.

'This is a Prime Minister in the worst state of denial, refusing to listen to anyone, just still doing the same thing again and again, no plan B, heading stubbornly towards the cliff edge.'

Former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron claimed Parliament is 'dancing to the tune of extremists' rather than listening to ordinary people.

'And there's the problem in a nutshell - the PM listens to (Brexiteer Tory MP Peter) Bone not Britain. We are dancing to the tune of extremists, not listening to the people.

Mrs May last night abandoned her plan to ask the EU for a nine-month Brexit delay or longer after furious Brexiteer cabinet ministers threatened to quit and told her the Tory party would only accept a wait until June. 

This morning she spoke to Mr Juncker who reportedly told her that the EU would only consider a shorter extension until May 22 to avoid Britain having to take part in European elections - or the delay will have to be up to two years.   

The PM has now published the letter sent to Donald Tusk today, which says Britain needs a delay until June 30 to pass and legislate for her deal - and it also blasts Commons Speaker John Bercow for making it 'impossible' to hold a third meaningful vote on her deal before the summit. 

She appealed for the EU Council – which includes the leaders of all EU states – to formally adopt the three extra documents agreed with Mr Juncker last week to pass Mr Bercow's ruling on a new vote being on a 'substantially different' purpose. 

Mrs May's letter said: 'If the motion is passed, I am confident that Parliament will proceed to ratify the deal constructively. But this will clearly not be completed before March 29, 2019.'

Admitting the timetable was 'uncertain' she said: 'I am therefore writing to inform the European Council that the UK is seeking an extension to the Article 50 until June 30 2019.'  

This is Theresa May's letter to Donald Tusk begging for a delay and asking them for help to ensure her deal can be voted on for a third time after John Bercow made it 'impossible' not

Jeremy Corbyn will go to Brussels TOMORROW to meet Michel Barnier hours before Theresa May faces EU leaders to ask for a Brexit delay 

Mr Corbyn will meet Michel Barnier tomorrow morning, giving him an opportunity to put across his Brexit views hours before Mrs May faces the EU27 leaders at what is likely to be a stormy European Council meeting 

Jeremy Corbyn will meet the EU's chief Brexit negotiator tomorrow just hours before Theresa May faces European leaders.

In a development that will pour fresh pressure on the Prime Minister the opposition leader will met Michel Barnier in Brussels on Thursday morning, the Guardian reported.

The meeting will give Mr Corbyn a chance to put forward Labour's alternative Brexit plan and also discuss the possibility of a second referendum taking place.

Mr Corbyn yesterday met with the Westminster leaders of the other opposition parties to discuss a new vote, which resulted in a request to swing behind a referendum and stop 'prevaricating'.

But he also later met with MPs who support a soft Brexit that would keep Britain closely aligned with the EU, potentially including retaining freedom of movement.

Mr Barnier yesterday tore into Theresa May's attempt to keep her delay options open by suggesting she must present leaders this week with a clear idea how the UK wants to stay in.

Michel Barnier told reporters today that any longer extension to Article 50 would only be considered if there was 'a new political process' in the UK to justify it.

At a Brussels press conference Mr Barnier stressed that it was ultimately a decision for EU27 leaders at the European Council meeting on Thursday, he said: 'The EU authorities want to know what the underlying political process which would be the grounds for that extension would be - political process within the House of Commons or in the general political debate in the UK.'

Mr Barnier added: 'It is our duty to ask whether this extension would be useful because an extension will be something which would extend uncertainty, and uncertainty costs.'

He added: 'What would be the purpose and outcome? How could we be sure that at the end of a possible extension we are not back in the same situation as today?'

 

But that prompted France to warn it might block any request by Theresa May to delay Brexit unless she can give EU leaders 'guarantees' that it will lead to MPs passing a withdrawal deal.

Foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told the parliament in Paris that Mrs May would need to make an incredibly strong case at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday.

The Prime Minister revealed in the Commons this afternoon that she had written to the EU to ask for an extension to allow more time to pass a deal.

Mr Le Drian told French MPs: 'A situation in which Mrs May would not be able to present to the European Council sufficient guarantees about the credibility of her strategy would lead to the extension request being dismissed and opting for a no-deal exit.'

The Brexit delay has split Mrs May's cabinet with pro-Brexit ministers in triumphant mood while outraged Remainer ministers today said it was Mrs May's 'most craven surrender to the hardliners yet'. The plan she is pursuing was branded 'downright reckless' by her deputy David Lidington just a week ago. 

Announcing she was seeking an extension to Article 50 to June 30, Mrs May told the Commons: 'The Government intends to bring forward proposals for a third meaningful vote.

'If that vote is passed the extension will give the House time to consider the Withdrawal Agreement Bill. If not, the House will have to decide how to proceed'.

Hinting at her own departure of her deal falls and Britain seeks a longer delay she added: 'As Prime Minister I am not prepared to delay Brexit any further than June 30'. 

The Prime Minister strongly suggested the UK will leave without a deal if her deal is not agreed at the end of her planned extension in June.

At PMQs, Tory MP Richard Drax asked: 'If this extension happens what guarantee can you give the British people that by the end of June if we still do not have a deal we honour that referendum result and we leave?'

Mrs May replied: 'If it's the case there is an extension this does not actually take no-deal off the table. It leaves that as a point at the end of that extension.

'I believe it is time we actually delivered on the vote of the British people in 2016.

'As Prime Minister as far as I'm concerned there will be no delay in delivering Brexit beyond June 30.'

Afterwards a No 10 spokesman refused to deny the Prime Minister was threatening to resign if Brexit was going to be delayed beyond June 30.

She said: 'I think it is important that the Prime Minister sends a clear signal about her view on the right way forward. She does not believe a long extension is the right thing to do. What you should infer (from the PM's words) is her determination to get this over the line'.

Jeremy Corbyn said the UK is 'now in the midst of a full-scale national crisis' and called on Theresa May to meet with him to discuss his Brexit proposals.

At Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons the Labour leader said 'incompetence, failure and intransigence from the Prime Minister and her Government have brought us to this point'.

He said with her deal and no-deal both rejected, Mrs May has 'no plan', while he is meeting with other parties and EU leaders to come up with an alternative.

Mr Corbyn asked: 'This is a national crisis. Will the Prime Minister meet me today to discuss our proposals as a way forward to get out of this crisis?'

Mrs May said it was a 'bit rich' for him to invite her for talks when he for 'days and days he refused to meet me'. She added that she was 'always happy to meet members from across this House to discuss Europe'.

Mr Tusk a more conciliatory message in a tweet sent after his speech on Brexit in which he said a delay hinged on a deal being passed by MPs next week

 Jean-Yves Le Drian made the warning about Mrs May's chances of getting a Brexit deal in the French parliament today (pictured)

EU bureaucrats earlier demanded the Prime Minister's attempt to delay Brexit until summer be scuppered, saying the UK must leave by late May or stay tied to Europe until the end of the year.

Delaying Brexit is 'betraying the British people' Theresa May is told by TORY backbench Brexiteer Peter Bone who warns her that 'history will judge you at this moment' 

Peter Bone regularly rises to question the Prime Minister at PMQs. The Wellingborough MP is a long term and devout Tory Brexiteer

Theresa May was accused of 'betraying the British people' by seeking a delay to Brexit by one of her own senior backbenchers today.

Hardcore Tory Brexiteer Peter Bone warned his party leader that 'history will judge you at this moment' in a pointed exchange during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons.

The 66-year-old Wellingborough MP's intervention came minutes after Mrs May had confirmed she was asking the EU to delay Brexit until the end of June in order to get a Brexit deal past MPs.

He said: 'If you continue to apply for an extension to Article 50 you will be betraying the British people. If you don't, you will be honouring their instruction.

'Prime Minister, it is entirely down to you. History will judge you at this moment. Prime Minister, which is it to be?'

He also claimed that Mrs May had committed to a March 29 Brexit 108 times in the House of Commons while Prime Minister. 

Mrs May replied: 'I am saying that I think we should look again at being able to leave with a negotiated deal but in order to do that we need time for this Parliament to ratify a deal, and in order to do that we need an extension until June 30.'

As Theresa May rose to tell MPs she has requested Brexit be postponed to June 30, the European Commission said that she should face a 'binary choice' of delaying for less than two months or for a full nine months.

The shorter extension to before May 23 - when European elections are due to be held- was revealed in a briefing note for EU leaders meeting Mrs May at Thursday's European Council meeting, seen by Reuters.

'Any extension offered to the United Kingdom should either last until 23 May 2019 or should be significantly longer and require European elections,' the document said. 

'This is the only way of protecting the functioning of the EU institutions and their ability to take decisions.' 

Mrs May moments earlier had confirmed she had written to European Council president Donald Tusk requesting a delay until June 30. 

A senior official in President Emmanuel Macron's office said on Wednesday that France took note of Mrs May's decision to send the Brexit divorce deal to a third vote in Parliament.

'If the deal is rejected, it would pave the way for the undesirable outcome of a no-deal,' the official said.

'A technical extension could be envisaged to complete legislative work in case of a deal. That's what Mrs May is asking for and will be discussed tomorrow at the European Council.' 

It came after the Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker this morning warned that a decision on an extension to Article 50 might not even happen this week.

He suggested that an emergency summit might be needed next week - potentially just hours before Brexit day - because EU leaders might not approve an extension without a withdrawal deal passed by MPs.  

He said that Mrs May 'must bring approval of the negotiated deal and she must bring clear ideas on timing' to the European Council in Brussels tomorrow or face a humiliating rejection.

Mr Juncker told German broadcaster Deutschlandfunk that the remaining 27 members states' hands were tied until the political indecision in London was resolved.

Mr Juncker (right) greeting European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier today in Brussels. Both men have played a hard line on Britain's prospects of winning an extension to Article 50 from the EU

'My impression is ... that this week at the European Council there will be no decision, but that we will probably have to meet again next week, because Mrs May doesn't have agreement to anything, either in her Cabinet or in Parliament,' Mr Juncker added.

'As long as we don't know what Britain could say yes to, we can't reach a decision.'

Asked about indications from Downing Street that Mrs May will request a short extension, Mr Juncker told DRF: 'Those months would have to produce, as an end result, an agreement from the British Parliament to the (Agreement) text which is before them.

'If that doesn't happen, and if Great Britain does not leave at the end of March, then we are, I am sorry to say, in the hands of God. And I think even God sometimes reaches a limit to his patience.'  

A European Commission spokesman told the daily press conference in Brussels today that President Juncker had just received a phone call from Theresa May about Article 50.

He said: 'She informed him of the latest state of play around the Article 50 process and consulted the president on how best to approach the European Council. Discussions are ongoing.'

The spokesman added 'nearly all foreseen contingency measures are approved' for a no-deal scenario, with only two outstanding, which are short-term visas and the EU budget for 2019.

In the same interview Mr Juncker insisted that the deal negotiated over two years with Brussels was the remaining members states' final offer.

'Nothing more can be done, we've reached the end of the road,' he said.

'If other scenarios are being discussed, we'd need a new road.'

His interview was the latest attempt by the EU to ramp up the pressure on Mrs May ahead of Thursday's summit in Brussels. 

Andrea Leadsom accused Cabinet Remainers of frustrating Brexit, and hinted she could quit (pictured leaving the meeting on Tuesday)

Speaker John Bercow's bombshell intervention on Monday puts a barricade in Theresa May's path to holding a third meaningful vote on her Brexit deal next week 

Brexiteer Andrea Leadsom, who yesterday blasted ministers for failing to deliver Brexit and hinted she could resign, told LBC today: 'I'm quite sure it will only be a short extension. It's absolutely essential we're out of the EU before the European elections'.

She also said John Bercow's ruling to prevent a third vote on Mrs May's deal is 'subordinate to the views of parliament' and said: 'He needs to remain impartial. I've had some questions about it'. 

Link hienalouca.com

https://hienalouca.com/2019/03/20/brexit-will-only-be-delayed-if-may-can-pass-deal-next-week-says-eus-tusk/
Main photo article The EU will give Britain a ‘short’ Brexit delay but only if MPs back Theresa May’s deal next week, European Council President Donald Tusk said today – setting up a dramatic political showdown days before the UK is due to leave.
The dramatic intervention came hours after the P...

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Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca





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