MPs kick-start plans to hold European elections if April 12 Brexit deadline is not met

MINISTERS kick-started plans to hold European elections in May – with MPs poised to force through a lengthy delay to Brexit this week.

De-facto deputy PM David Lidington gave councils the green light to start preparations for holding the elections on May 23 as a “contingency” measure.

Britain will have to take part in the European Parliament elections if it is still a member of the EU.

The UK Government has to decide whether to take part in the elections by the end of next week.

Mr Lidington said returning officers would be reimbursed by Whitehall for “reasonable” expenses incurred to prepare for the poll, which takes place almost three years after the UK voted to leave the European Union.

He stressed that “it remains the intention for the UK to leave the EU with a deal and not take part in the European parliamentary elections in May”.

But in a letter to the Electoral Commission, Mr Lidington said: “I am able to confirm that Cabinet Office will reimburse reasonable spending by returning officers on contingency preparations for European Parliament elections.”

Advice issued to returning officers, the local officials responsible for running elections around the country, said that the rejection of Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement by MPs on Friday meant “the opportunity to guarantee that the UK would not participate in EP elections has been removed”.

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker confirmed to reporters in Germany that the UK would have to take part in May’s elections if it remains an EU member beyond the current April 12 Brexit deadline.

He said: “If the British haven’t left by April 12 and there is an extension, then Britain must take part in the European election.”

He added: “That is (in) the treaty.

“Whether I want that is another question.”

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