EU prepares to delay Brexit

 Brunsden and Michael Peel in Brussels

EU leaders are preparing to give Britain a final deadline of mid-April to decide whether to hold European Parliament elections or exit the bloc on May 7, with or without a divorce deal with Brussels.

After intense debate at a summit in Brussels, leaders of the remaining 27 EU countries significantly revised draft summit conclusions to make a counter offer to Theresa May that would leave open the possibility of a much longer delay to Brexit than she originally sought.

The proposal under consideration, if agreed at the summit, effectively creates a political point of no return on April 11 where Britain would need to decide on whether to leave the bloc in May, regardless of whether a withdrawal treaty is ratified.

By contrast, if Britain was prepared start preparations for taking part in the EU parliament elections — which will take place between May 23-26 — the UK would still be able to request a longer extension so there was time for a rethink of Brexit policy, a general election or referendum.

This counter-offer goes against the UK prime minister’s more narrow request for a short three-month delay to June 30, which was conditional on her Brexit deal being approved by the House of Commons next week.

It aims to narrow the choice for Britain in coming weeks and pile pressure on both Labour and Tory MPs who have been holding out against an exit agreement.

EU officials had initially proposed draft conclusions that set May 22 as the end date for an extension, if MPs backed the Brexit deal in the coming days.

The text divided the EU leaders at the summit, with Germany leading a camp of northern European member states who were reluctant to close off options when there was so much uncertainty in Westminster.

Leaders were still debating the length of the extension and how explicitly to keep open the possibility of a long delay to Britain’s membership./FT