EU bureaucrats have 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.
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.
It came after the Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker 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.
Jean-Claude Juncker, pictured today at a meeting of the college of commissioners at EU headquarters in Brussels, raised the possibility of an emergency summit next week to approve a Brexit delay, possibly giving Mrs May a chance to pass a deal early next week
The Prime Minister, pictured today, was warned she might not get a Brexit delay from EU leaders tomorrow if she arrives in Brussels without a withdrawal agreement approved by MPs
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.
If EU leaders did not grant an extension tomorrow it would take the UK perilously close to the March 29 Brexit day and we would still by default leave without a deal unless a deal and/or an extension was agreed.
It raises the possibility that a third meaningful vote early next week could be key to winning a Brexit delay from the EU.
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
On Tuesday he refused to answer questions over his invocation of 17th century precedent and during a stormy session of the Cabinet, the Prime Minister rounded on Mr Bercow and said he was making a laughing stock of Parliament
Mrs May 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.
The Brexit delay has split her cabinet with outraged Remainers saying today it was Mrs May's 'most craven surrender to the hardliners yet' because it 'substantially increases the risk of No Deal'.
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'.
Britain is due to leave the EU next Friday, March 29, but after failing to get her deal through parliament last week the Prime Minister will tomorrow ask the EU to extend the deadline at a Brussels summit. If they do not, Britain leaves with No Deal.
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2019/03/20/eu-should-refuse-theresa-mays-request-to-delay-brexit-until-june-30-says-brussels/
Main photo article EU bureaucrats have 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.
As Theresa May rose to tell MPs she has requested Brexit be postponed to June 30, the European...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/20/10/11220860-6829683-image-a-5_1553076415335.jpg
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