EU leaders agree Brexit delay

Ireland and Britain have been dragged back from the Brexit brink after EU leaders agreed to delay the divorce deadline at least until April 12.

EU leaders agree Brexit delay

Ireland and Britain have been dragged back from the Brexit brink after EU leaders agreed to delay the divorce deadline at least until April 12.

A temporary delay to Brexit was agreed between British prime minister Theresa May and EU leaders during chaotic and frantic talks in Brussels.

Leaders were keen to allow “breathing space” be given to Ms May in order to avoid a crash-out Brexit this day next week.

European Council president Donald Tusk last night tweeted: “EU27 unanimously agrees on its response to UK’s requests.”

Under the deal, hammered out between EU Mr Tusk and Ms May, she will seek to have the withdrawal agreement passed by the House of Commons next week. Should it pass, the deadline would move back to May 22.

If it is defeated again, the deadline would move to April 12.

Leaders were locked in discussions for several hours over proposals to postpone Brexit, amid wrangling over the final deadline for the UK to leave.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and 26 other EU leaders spent the day struggling to resolve how to solve the Brexit riddle, with dates of April 11, May 7, and May 22 being offered up as a means of pulling Britain back from the brink.

Almost two hours after the expected conclusion of discussions, the leaders broke up for dinner with no agreement reached. Further discussions continued late into the night.

Ms May endured a torrid time at the summit having being warned directly that any promises to the DUP must not undercut the Irish border backstop.

Despite Ms May asking for a delay until June 30, EU leaders rejected the idea out of hand and said an extension could only stretch to May 22 as anything further would cause mayhem to plans for the May 24 MEP elections.

However, despite the new date being included in a draft “conclusion” document after EU summit talks, the clarity was soon engulfed by Brexit fog, with May 22 being deleted and an internal EU battle beginning over what should be offered. In late night talks, the Irish Examiner understands Mr Varadkar and other EU leaders debated three proposals:

To give Britain an extension until April 12; To give Britain a delay until May 7; Or return to a May 22 extension.

Sources said the April 12 date, which was being pushed by Ireland and is the final day for Britain to decide if it is running MEP candidates, would not be conditional on Britain passing the deal before March 29.

The president of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, told the leaders that MEPs do not want any extension to run beyond April 12.

And the draft communique proposed May 22 as the cut-off date, as it falls a day before voting begins in the May 23-26 elections.

“Given that the UK does not intend to hold elections to the European Parliament, no extension is possible beyond that date,” said the draft.

And while it was expected a final delay date was likely to have been agreed by this morning, the lack of unity during the discussions has led to fresh fears of the EU and UK sleep-walking into a no-deal Brexit.

Ms May had earlier told Mr Varadkar in a “short” bilateral meeting she wants to avoid a no-deal crisis and that her deal would be passed through parliament by now if it was not for House of Commons speaker John Bercow’s veto.

However, her claim was given little sympathy, with EU leaders forming a brick wall of criticism by saying her preferred June 30 delay date is impossible and that she must find a way to end the crisis.

French president Emmanuel Macron went further, warning Britain “in case of no, it will guide to a no deal. For sure. This is it. We are ready”.

Mr Tusk and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker tried to give the same no deal cliff edge threat message while saying the EU is still ready to work with Britain to find a solution.

However, noting Mrs May’s failure to rule out a no-deal Brexit and her commitment to finding a “short” extension, Luxembourg prime minister Xavier Bettel said Brexit is “like waiting for Godot”.

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