Theresa May begs Brussels to delay Brexit to June 30 – but EU want it to be a YEAR
The Prime Minister asked to push back Britain's leaving date to June 30
THERESA May today wrote to Brussels begging for another delay to Brexit, keeping us in the EU for three more months.
The PM asked EU leaders to sign off on a new agreement which would see Britain leave on June 30 - but they're likely to push for a year-long extension instead.
The delay is likely to include a "break clause" meaning it would end early if Parliament approves a Brexit deal.
But furious Brexiteers warned that if the EU forces us to stay another year, Britain should sabotage it from the inside by blocking plans for expansion.
And France led threats from inside the EU to veto the delay altogether.
Mrs May is understood to have written separately to Jeremy Corbyn today, offering a compromise agreement which both party leaders could push through the Commons.
European Council boss Donald Tusk is set to push back to Mrs May's letter and demand a much longer delay lasting up to a year.
The length of any extension will have to be signed off by all 27 EU leaders at a special summit in Brussels next Wednesday.
If they can't agree, Britain will crash out without a deal a week today, April 12.
In her letter to Mr Tusk, the PM insisted that we can't leave with No Deal because Parliament won't allow it.
This impasse cannot be allowed to continue
Theresa May
She admitted: "This impasse cannot be allowed to continue. In the UK it is creating uncertainty and doing damage to faith in politics, while the European Union has a legitimate desire to move on to decisions about its own future.
"That is why the Government has decided to take further action to seek a consensus across the House of Commons on the right way forward."
Mrs May vowed to "compromise" with Labour to strike a new deal - and said that if talks break down, Parliament will be given a binding vote on what should happen next.
She continued by asking for the Article 50 negotiating period for Brexit to be extended from April 12 to June 30, with a break clause allowing Britain to leave earlier if a deal is signed off by MPs.
If the UK is still in the EU at the time of European Parliament elections on May 23, we will have to take part in the Europe-wide polls.
The PM concluded: "It is frustrating that we have not yet brought this process to a successful and orderly conclusion.
"The United Kingdom Government remains strongly committed to doing so, and will continue to act as a constructive and responsible member state of the European Union in accordance with the duty of sincere cooperation throughout this unique period."
On Wednesday evening, Mrs May will make her case in person to European leaders - some of whom are just keen to see Britain leave as soon as possible.
Emmanuel Macron's Europe minister Amelie de Montchalin insisted France will block a delay of any duration if Britain doesn't produce a fresh Brexit plan with "clear and credible political backing".
YEAR OF AGONY
Mr Tusk is said to believe the Article 50 delay must be 12 months long, but still with a break clause.
His so-called "flextension" plan is designed to stop Britain having to ask for further Brexit delays in coming months if squabbling MPs still can't agree on a deal.
Ireland's PM Leo Varadkar said today: "None of us want no deal next week but we also want to avoid rolling extensions because that just adds to the uncertainty so perhaps a longer extension might make more sense."
But Jacob Rees-Mogg blasted: "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."
Fellow Brexiteer Nigel Evans added: "Theresa must say no no no to any longer extension - and no no no to fighting EU elections.";
And John Redwood stormed: "No more delays. The Government should just get on with leaving the EU on April 12. Offer a free trade agreement and go."
Jeremy Hunt responded by insisting that the refusal of Tory MPs to back the current deal made a delay inevitable.
The PM's top team have been locked in talks with Labour for three days, trying to thrash out a compromise which can make it through the Commons next week.
Today Mrs May is understood to have written to Mr Corbyn, laying out her offer in full as negotiations continue in the Cabinet Office.
She is likely to agree to staying in the customs union and enshrining EU rules on workers' rights into British law permanently - two of Labour's key demands.
But the decision on whether to hold a referendum to confirm the deal would be thrown back to MPs, who have already voted against the idea several times.
Labour's Chief Whip Nick Brown said this afternoon: "We’ve received something from the Government we’re looking at now."
Speaking in Wales, Mr Corbyn added: "There's been no obvious move on the side of the Government as yet, we're continuing those talks."
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Both party leaders are facing massive revolts from their own troops over the decision to launch compromise talks.
Tory Brexiteers have warned they'd rather just stay in the EU for at least another year rather than sign up to Mrs May's deal.
And Labour Remainers could walk out of the party and join the Independent Group if Mr Corbyn doesn't insist on holding a second referendum.
Theresa May's letter to the EU in full
Dear Donald,
In the European Council Decision of 22 March, taken in agreement with the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United Kingdom agreed that if the House of Commons had approved the Withdrawal Agreement by 29 March 2019, the period provided for by Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union would be extended until 22 May 2019 to provide for ratification. The House of Commons declined to approve the Withdrawal Agreement and take up that option. Therefore unless we agree a further extension at the European Council you have convened for 10 April, the United Kingdom will leave the European Union without a deal at 2300 BST on 12 April 2019.
The Government's policy has always been and remains to leave the European Union in an orderly way, and without undue delay. The House of Commons has not thus far approved the deal that would enable this, nor - despite considerable efforts by both Members of Parliament and by the Government - has it yet found a majority in favour of any other proposal. The House has, however, continued to express its opposition to leaving the European Union without a deal. The Government agrees that leaving with a deal is the best outcome.
This impasse cannot be allowed to continue. In the UK it is creating uncertainty and doing damage to faith in politics, while the European Union has a legitimate desire to move on to decisions about its own future. That is why the Government has decided to take further action to seek a consensus across the House of Commons on the right way forward.
I therefore met the Leader of the Opposition earlier this week to discuss whether we might be able to agree a proposal that can be put before the House of Commons which allows the United Kingdom to leave the European Union with a deal. We agreed follow-up discussions that are now taking place. I have also extended an open invitation to Members of Parliament more broadly to work with me to achieve a consensus that respects the result of the 2016 referendum. I am clear that all of these discussions need to be based on acceptance of the Withdrawal Agreement without reopening it, as the United Kingdom agreed with the European Council at our last meeting, and should focus on the framework for the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. If a consensus is going to be found, compromise will be needed on all sides, in the national interest.
If the talks do not lead to a single unified approach soon, the Government would instead look to establish a consensus on a small number of clear options on the future relationship that could be put to the House in a series of votes to determine which course to pursue. The Government stands ready to abide by the decision of the House, if the Opposition will commit to doing the same.
These steps demonstrate that the Government is determined to bring this process to a resolution quickly. The Government acknowledges, however, that after approval to the Withdrawal Agreement is achieved, the process of enacting those commitments in domestic law and therefore ratifying the Agreement in the United Kingdom will take time. Therefore having reluctantly sought an extension to the Article 50 period last month, the Government must now do so again.
It remains the Government's view that, despite this request to extend the Article 50 period, it is in the interests of neither the United Kingdom as a departing Member State, nor the European Union as a whole, that the United Kingdom holds elections to the European Parliament. However, the United Kingdom accepts the European Council's view that if the United Kingdom were still a Member State of the European Union on 23 May 2019, it would be under a legal obligation to hold the elections. The Government is therefore undertaking the lawful and responsible preparations for this contingency, including by making the Order that sets the date of the poll.
The process I have laid out in paragraphs 4 and 5 is designed to bring the House of Commons to rapid approval of the Withdrawal Agreement and a shared vision for the future relationship, and to allow the Government to introduce the Withdrawal Agreement Bill and so ratify the Agreement. An important part of that process will be the Government agreeing with the Opposition a programme for the Bill. The Government's objective is to ensure that this programme means the Bill can complete its passage such that the Agreement can be brought into force and the United Kingdom withdraw from the European Union in time to cancel the European Parliament elections.
I am writing therefore to inform the European Council that the United Kingdom is seeking a further extension to the period provided under Article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union, including as applied by Article 106a of the Euratom Treaty. The United Kingdom 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. The Government will want to agree a timetable for ratification that allows the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union 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.
It is frustrating that we have not yet brought this process to a successful and orderly conclusion. The United Kingdom Government remains strongly committed to doing so, and will continue to act as a constructive and responsible Member State of the European Union in accordance with the duty of sincere cooperation throughout this unique period. I would be grateful for the opportunity to update our colleagues on the position at our meeting on Wednesday.
Your sincerely
Theresa May
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