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Brexit: France and Germany split as EU leaders debate length of further article 50 extension - live news Brexit: France and Germany split as EU leaders debate length of further article 50 extension - live news
(32 minutes later)
From the Telegraph’s Peter Foster
Per EU source. France is isolated. 4 Member states unspecified. Greeks backing long XT to Mar 2020 arguing holding EP elections will be humiliation for Brexiteers...and maybe the beginning of end of Brexit itself.
After a short break, at the end of what was effectively the first round of talks in the EU27 meeting, EU leaders are now back in the room for the bit where they have to thrash out their differences. This is from Sky’s Deborah Haynes.
And now after some leg-stretching the leaders are back in room and talking again #Brexit
From my colleague Jennifer Rankin
Another date thrown into the mix at the Brexit summit — 23 June 2019. At least one player at summit table likes neat endings.
23 June 2019 would be the third anniversary of the referendum.
John Whittingdale, the Tory Brexiter, also told Peston that the Conservatives would pay a price at the local elections for the “huge anger” that people feel about the fact that Brexit has been delayed.
.@JWhittingdale says he fears his party could pay the price if European Parliament elections are held in the UK next month. #Peston pic.twitter.com/8O8F9ooYCv
Theresa May may be planning to stay in office until her Brexit deal has passed (see 10.28pm), but John Whittingdale, the Tory Brexiter and former cabinet minister, has just told ITV’s Peston that “more and more” of his colleague now think it is time for a new leader.
From Politico Europe’s Lili Bayer
Some officials are far from happy with how the discussion is evolving. “We are hostages of small group of mainly Francophones doing it for purely domestic show,” said one senior official. https://t.co/xfwnK9fn6o
Sophie in ’t Veld, a Dutch MEP and deputy to the European parliament’s lead Brexit spokesman, Guy Verhofstadt, told BBC’s Newsnight that MEPs were worried about the UK being a disruptive influence if it gets a long article 50 extension. She said:
It cannot be that we will be held hostage by the UK for who knows, months, maybe a few years even.
We need to be absolutely sure that the UK is not going to disrupt the work of the European Union. And there is a big question mark of course. Some government leaders have said that we can just have a code of conduct and ask the UK to not disrupt the European Union.
And then the question is, how reliable would a pledge be from the United Kingdom that they are not going to do that? Because legally speaking, as long as the UK is a member you have full voting rights and there is absolutely no guarantee.
Tweets by people like Jacob Rees-Mogg for example [see 10.35pm], that if we stay in the European Union that we disrupt things, it doesn’t create an atmosphere of trust here.
From the Sun’s Nick Gutteridge
Emmanuel Macron spoke at the end of the first roundtable of EU leaders this evening. He told them he’s ‘in favour of a short extension, and only a short one’ according to a source. Huge gap with most other Member States including Germany. We’re in for a long night...
This is from the BBC’s Adam Fleming.
UPDATE: SEVENTEEN countries spoke in favour of a long #Brexit extension. 1 for short. 3 open, leaning towards short according to @eucopresident upsum in the summit rooms
These are from the Daily Mirror’s Pippa Crerar.
EU source on Macron: "He is in a bit of a schizophrenic situation - (his) domestic audience demands that he is tough on Britain for historic reasons. On the other hand, France is among the most-hit in any no-deal Brexit. It will take hours before we pull him down from his tree."
So Macron may end up being the one who gets the UK what it wants but is doing it to be tough on us. I'm not sure I understand EU politics.
This is from Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Tory Brexiter, responding to a New York Times article about the German Europe minister, Michael Roth, criticising Rees-Mogg for saying the UK would be disruptive if forced to stay in the EU.This is from Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Tory Brexiter, responding to a New York Times article about the German Europe minister, Michael Roth, criticising Rees-Mogg for saying the UK would be disruptive if forced to stay in the EU.
A Eurocrat thinks it is out of order to stand up for democracy, it is typical of their high handed approach and encourages us to be difficult.https://t.co/bYVHCPYnuxA Eurocrat thinks it is out of order to stand up for democracy, it is typical of their high handed approach and encourages us to be difficult.https://t.co/bYVHCPYnux
Theresa May is now having dinner with her team in a discreet location away from the Justus Lipsius building where the 27 are arguing over the length of the article 50 extension while eating warm scallop salad, cod with shrimps and an iced macademia nut parfait.Theresa May is now having dinner with her team in a discreet location away from the Justus Lipsius building where the 27 are arguing over the length of the article 50 extension while eating warm scallop salad, cod with shrimps and an iced macademia nut parfait.
One consequence of any decision to grant a longer delay to Brexit is likely to be that she attempts to cling on as leader for even longer.One consequence of any decision to grant a longer delay to Brexit is likely to be that she attempts to cling on as leader for even longer.
Some Tory MPs, such as Peter Bone, have questioned if she should now stand down after saying she would not “as prime minister” entertain a delay longer than June 30. (See 4.02pm.)Some Tory MPs, such as Peter Bone, have questioned if she should now stand down after saying she would not “as prime minister” entertain a delay longer than June 30. (See 4.02pm.)
On the 20th March, at PMQs, I asked the PM about an extension to Article 50. She said “As Prime Minister, I could not consider a delay further beyond the 30th June.” So, if the PM intends to keep her word, can we expect her resignation later tonight?On the 20th March, at PMQs, I asked the PM about an extension to Article 50. She said “As Prime Minister, I could not consider a delay further beyond the 30th June.” So, if the PM intends to keep her word, can we expect her resignation later tonight?
But Tory sources are clear that she has abandoned her position that she could not support a long delay, saying she would accept an extension as long as it has a break clause if her withdrawal deal passes.But Tory sources are clear that she has abandoned her position that she could not support a long delay, saying she would accept an extension as long as it has a break clause if her withdrawal deal passes.
In contrast, May has not dropped her pledge to stay on for as long as the first phase of EU negotiations last and carry on attempting to pass her withdrawal agreement for as long as it takes. In practice, this could be nine months or a year if the EU grant a lengthy extension.In contrast, May has not dropped her pledge to stay on for as long as the first phase of EU negotiations last and carry on attempting to pass her withdrawal agreement for as long as it takes. In practice, this could be nine months or a year if the EU grant a lengthy extension.
This is what a senior Tory source says:This is what a senior Tory source says:
When she made the announcement at the 1922 [Committee] and in front of parliament that she was prepared to stand down as prime minister once we had completed phase one of the negotiations and for there to be a new leadership in place for phase two, effectively that is the ratification of the withdrawal agreement. That remains the case.When she made the announcement at the 1922 [Committee] and in front of parliament that she was prepared to stand down as prime minister once we had completed phase one of the negotiations and for there to be a new leadership in place for phase two, effectively that is the ratification of the withdrawal agreement. That remains the case.
She understands that the Conservative party feels a sense that new leadership is required for the second phase of negotiations. That was the commitment she gave to her parliamentary colleagues and that’s one she stands by.She understands that the Conservative party feels a sense that new leadership is required for the second phase of negotiations. That was the commitment she gave to her parliamentary colleagues and that’s one she stands by.
Conservative MPs may try take matters out of her hands and attempt to force her out. But their hands are somewhat tied by the rules of the 1922 Committee that mean she cannot face a challenge within 12 months of the previous one - in December last year.Conservative MPs may try take matters out of her hands and attempt to force her out. But their hands are somewhat tied by the rules of the 1922 Committee that mean she cannot face a challenge within 12 months of the previous one - in December last year.
And while we’re on the subject of comments BTL, thank you to everyone who has provided an answer to my query about “Brexit-Krimi-Nacht”. (See 9.37pm.) Here is a selection of the responses - all giving substantially the same answer, but with some readers picking up slightly different nuances from what is implied.
It sounds like a German version of the joke about tonight being the season finale of the Brexit box set.
I don’t know if this was intentional, but Theresa May and Angela Merkel are both fans of lowbrow detective drama. Merkel likes Midsomers Murders. (David Cameron apparently arranged to watch one when Merkel visited Chequers, as part of his doomed attempt to butter her up.) And May likes NCIS - another extremely undemanding crime drama.
The plot twists in Brexit are infinitely more thrilling ...
"Krimi-Nacht" seems to cause some confusion. It mainly means you binge-watch some detecitive stories.Bit like Hercule Poirot, Inspector Clouseau and Kommisar Rex all trying to figure out what Brexit means, while at the same time asking Miss Marple if she also knows anything about it?
"Krimi" is here coloquial and idiomatic. Here, perhaps "night of suspense"; journalese would be "night of (high) drama.".
Possible translations in general - "a cliffhanger", "on tenterhooks".
It's the short form of "Kriminalroman", which literally means "detective story", or "crime/detective thriller".
"Krimi-Nacht" would be a long evening with one of the detective films that are so popular in Germany, where you have to guess who done it, till the end. They can be very long, or at least seem very long, until the solution. The metaphor can also be used for a football game "Fußball-Krimi", and, alas, for Brexit.
Krimi-Nacht translates as thriller night Andrew. No real crime planned except the total waste of time and energy Brexit involves.
I think the joke with the Brexit Krimi Nacht comment is that Krimi are usually considered low quality, cheap TV thrillers. That’s why’s its funnny
Andrew: the German word "Krimi" usually means a thriller (like a film or novel) so "Brexit-Krimi-Nacht" is a phrase which evokes a night of watching a Brexit horror film :)
I am afraid we are going to have to close the comments at 10.30pm. I am sorry about that, but our comments need to be moderated, we have not got an infinite supply of moderators, and the ones that we do have, who are all excellent, do sometimes like to go home.
From my colleague Jennifer Rankin
Theresa May was "better than last time but still somewhat evasive on the big questions" says one EU source.Member state views vary. EU27 discussions ongoing.
These are from the Irish Times’ Pat Leahy.
A read from inside the Council room – several leaders have spoken, vast majority in favour of a long extension, with some favouring December and some March of next year. Dutch PM Mark Rutte spoke first. Macron has not spoken yet.
Overwhelming expectation that there will be a long extension agreed though there still significant French opposition to this.
Mrs May told leaders that she believes she can get Withdrawal Treaty passed, that negotiations with Labour are “going well” according to a person briefed on the early exchanges. This was not widely believed by EU leaders.
She said the UK government doesn’t expect to run EU elections, but they will if they have to.
Asked if Mrs May had given a “detailed road map” to passing the treaty and exiting, one source briefed on the discussions said – no, because she can’t.“The end of year seems to be the preference,” says a source.
Florian Eder at Politico Europe says this tweet, from a German journalist, matches what we have been told about picture on Angela Merkel’s iPad that caused her and Theresa May some amusement. (See 6.22pm.)
#May und #Merkel zeitgleich in London und Berlin, bevor sie wieder gemeinsam in Brüssel eine Brexit-Krimi-Nacht durchmachen. @phoenix_de pic.twitter.com/aezOzrSKOo
Twitter translates this as “#May And #Merkel at the same time in London and Berlin before they go through a Brexit crime night together again in Brussels.” I’m afraid the “Brexit-Krimi-Nacht” reference is a bit beyond me. If someone can explain BTL, please do ...
From my colleague Jennifer Rankin
Many EU leaders asked Theresa May about the EU elections, according to a senior source. France is proving hardest to convince that Theresa May is serious about UK participation in elections if long extension.
These are from the Telegraph’s James Rothwell and the Express’s Joe Barnes.
Sources say all member states have backed an extension of some duration. Understand France leaning towards June extension. But whispers also that Macron thinks leaving with no deal is less risky than UK disrupting EU from within
Hearing from diplomatic sources that Emmanuel Macron will be one of the last of the EU27 leaders to take the floor during the discussions on Theresa May’s Brexit delay. Talks currently ‘difficult’.
From my colleague Jennifer Rankin
Emmanuel Macron is taking the strictest line at the summit, as expected. Senior French source says that endangering the functioning of the EU "is not preferable to no-deal".
From the AFP’s Damon Wake
Elysee source says France isn't ruling out a long extension 'but we'd need a justification that so far we haven't had'.
And this is from my colleague Daniel Boffey.
Summit: Told May didn’t push back against suggestion of long extension in address to leaders, instead insisting priority was to be able to leave once the deal approved. The PM asked leaders to avoid situation in which would have to return to Brussels to ask for extension.