May ‘hopes’ UK will leave EU with a deal
Theresa May has said she “sincerely hopes” the UK will leave the EU with a deal and she is still “working on” ensuring Parliament’s agreement.
Arriving in Brussels, she said that she had “personal regret” over her request to delay Brexit, but said it will allow time for MPs to make a “final choice”.
At the EU summit she will try to persuade the other 27 countries to delay the UK’s exit beyond 29 March.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn said his talks in Brussels were “very constructive”.
On Wednesday, Mrs May made a speech blaming the delay on MPs and telling the nation she was “on their side”.
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French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that if MPs vote down Mrs May’s EU withdrawal agreement next week, the UK will leave without a deal.
“In the case of a negative British vote then we’d be heading to a no deal. We all know it. And it’s essential to be clear in these days and moments,” said Mr Macron, as he arrived at the summit.
EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said that a short Brexit delay “should be conditional on a positive vote next week in the House of Commons”.
“We have done our best, now the solution is in London,” he said.
How the day will unfold (timings are approximate):
- EU leaders are discussing whether to grant the UK’s request and examining other Brexit options
- 18:00 GMT – Press conference by European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker
- 18:30 GMT – Working dinner
- Mrs May is also expected to make a statement
On her arrival in Brussels, Mrs May said: “A short extension gives us that opportunity to decide to leave the European Union, to deliver on that result of that referendum and I sincerely hope that will be with a negotiated deal.”
She added: “I’m still working on ensuring that Parliament can agree a deal so that we can leave in an orderly way.”
Earlier, speaking in the German Parliament, Angela Merkel said the EU could meet Mrs May’s request to delay Brexit if in the next week there was a “positive vote” on the withdrawal agreement in the UK Parliament.
The German Chancellor said European elections at the end of May would have to be considered during discussions on the suggested extension deadline of 30 June, adding: “But of course we can certainly talk about a short term extension.”
Leaders want to avoid no-deal Brexit
Beware the reports of “huge” differences between EU leaders when it comes to a Brexit delay and the way forward in the coming days.
Take Germany’s Angela Merkel and France’s Emmanuel Macron: there are big differences in their political styles.
And big differences in the message they want to send their own domestic audiences (tough for France; open for Germany) when talking about Brexit.
But like most EU leaders – irritation, frustration and Brexit fatigue aside – they would rather avoid a costly no-deal Brexit.
Chancellor Merkel, like European Council President Donald Tusk has announced she will work “until the last hours” to try to avoid it.
And while EU leaders have ruled out re-opening the Brexit withdrawal agreement and the “backstop” text, you can bet they’ll discuss a longer Brexit delay at their summit today.
They will also discuss the short delay requested by Theresa May, in case – as the EU fears – chaos and division continue next week in Westminster.
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The UK is set to leave the EU next Friday unless the law is changed. The current default position for leaving is without a withdrawal agreement.
Mrs May agreed a deal with the EU, but MPs have rejected it twice.
She has asked the EU for a short extension of the two-year Brexit process until 30 June, but any extension needs to be agreed to by all EU members.
European Council President Donald Tusk said he believed the EU would agree to a short extension, but this would only be if Mrs May’s deal is signed off by MPs next week. Another EU summit next week could be called in an emergency if needed, he said.
Mr Tusk said the “question remains open” as to how long a delay the other EU leaders would support.
Taoiseach (Irish PM) Leo Varadkar said that he appreciated the situation in London was “somewhat chaotic” and for that reason “we need to cut the entire British establishment a little bit of slack on this”.
He said there was “openness to an extension” as “nobody wants no deal”.
BBC