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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/22/donald-tusk-indicates-eu-would-grant-brexit-extension
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| Donald Tusk indicates EU would grant Brexit extension | Donald Tusk indicates EU would grant Brexit extension |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Donald Tusk has in effect confirmed that the EU will grant a Brexit delay beyond 31 October, with the terms of the extension of UK membership depending on developments in Westminster. | Donald Tusk has in effect confirmed that the EU will grant a Brexit delay beyond 31 October, with the terms of the extension of UK membership depending on developments in Westminster. |
| As MPs prepare to have their first vote on the revised Brexit deal, the president of the European council told the European parliament that the EU’s final response to Boris Johnson’s letter seeking an extension would be given “in the coming days”. | As MPs prepare to have their first vote on the revised Brexit deal, the president of the European council told the European parliament that the EU’s final response to Boris Johnson’s letter seeking an extension would be given “in the coming days”. |
| Tusk told MEPs in Strasbourg: “The situation is quite complex following events over the weekend in the UK and the British request for an extension of the article 50 process. | Tusk told MEPs in Strasbourg: “The situation is quite complex following events over the weekend in the UK and the British request for an extension of the article 50 process. |
| “I’m consulting the leaders on how to react and will decide in the coming days. It’s obvious that the result of these consultations will very much depend on what the British parliament decides or doesn’t decide. | “I’m consulting the leaders on how to react and will decide in the coming days. It’s obvious that the result of these consultations will very much depend on what the British parliament decides or doesn’t decide. |
| “We should be ready for every scenario but one thing must be clear, as I said to Prime Minister Johnson on Saturday, a no-deal Brexit will never be our decision.” | “We should be ready for every scenario but one thing must be clear, as I said to Prime Minister Johnson on Saturday, a no-deal Brexit will never be our decision.” |
| Johnson was forced to send a letter asking to extend the UK’s membership beyond 31 October after the Commons said it would withhold approval of the deal until all the related legislation was passed. | Johnson was forced to send a letter asking to extend the UK’s membership beyond 31 October after the Commons said it would withhold approval of the deal until all the related legislation was passed. |
| That move triggered the Benn act, under which the prime minister had to seek an extension to 31 January unless a deal had been approved by the close of Saturday. | |
| The EU Withdrawal (No 2) Act, often referred to as the Benn act, is a law that was passed by MPs in an attempt to prevent Boris Johnson's government leaving the EU without a deal. | The EU Withdrawal (No 2) Act, often referred to as the Benn act, is a law that was passed by MPs in an attempt to prevent Boris Johnson's government leaving the EU without a deal. |
| It specifies that by 19 October the government must have either secured a deal that parliament has approved, or secured explicit approval from parliament to leave without a deal. | It specifies that by 19 October the government must have either secured a deal that parliament has approved, or secured explicit approval from parliament to leave without a deal. |
| If neither of those conditions are met – and if Johnson cannot get his deal passed on 'super Saturday' – it requires the prime minister to write to the EU to ask for a further Brexit extension. The form of the letter that the prime minister must send is set out in full in the act. | If neither of those conditions are met – and if Johnson cannot get his deal passed on 'super Saturday' – it requires the prime minister to write to the EU to ask for a further Brexit extension. The form of the letter that the prime minister must send is set out in full in the act. |
| The act says the extension should last until 31 January 2020, or longer if the EU suggests. | The act says the extension should last until 31 January 2020, or longer if the EU suggests. |
| Here is the full text of the European Union (Withdrawal) (No 2) Act 2019 | Here is the full text of the European Union (Withdrawal) (No 2) Act 2019 |
| Martin Belam | Martin Belam |
| Tusk said the deal struck had been possible due to Johnson’s acceptance of a border being drawn in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, a concession that has lost the government the support of the Democratic Unionist party. | Tusk said the deal struck had been possible due to Johnson’s acceptance of a border being drawn in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, a concession that has lost the government the support of the Democratic Unionist party. |
| “[The deal] is based on the deal that we agreed with the previous government,” Tusk said. “The changes concern the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland formerly known as the backstop.” | “[The deal] is based on the deal that we agreed with the previous government,” Tusk said. “The changes concern the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland formerly known as the backstop.” |
| In comments that will only further antagonise the DUP, Tusk added: “Prime Minister Johnson’s acceptance to have customs checks at the points of entry into Northern Ireland will allow us to avoid border checks between Ireland and Northern Ireland and will ensure the integrity of the single market”. | In comments that will only further antagonise the DUP, Tusk added: “Prime Minister Johnson’s acceptance to have customs checks at the points of entry into Northern Ireland will allow us to avoid border checks between Ireland and Northern Ireland and will ensure the integrity of the single market”. |
| The president of the European commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said the EU had done it all could to find a compromise, a process he described as “a waste of time and waste of energy”. | The president of the European commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said the EU had done it all could to find a compromise, a process he described as “a waste of time and waste of energy”. |
| He said: “It took a huge amount of work to arrive at this point. I listened to Prime Minister Johnson in the same way as I listened to Prime Minister May. | He said: “It took a huge amount of work to arrive at this point. I listened to Prime Minister Johnson in the same way as I listened to Prime Minister May. |
| “Our negotiators, mainly Michel Barnier, have once again worked around the clock and once again they have shown creativity and determination.” | “Our negotiators, mainly Michel Barnier, have once again worked around the clock and once again they have shown creativity and determination.” |
| The European parliament will not vote on the Brexit deal this Thursday as planned. | The European parliament will not vote on the Brexit deal this Thursday as planned. |
| An extraordinary session of the chamber could be called as late as 31 October if Westminster passes the withdrawal agreement through all the legislative stages in both the House of Commons and House of Lords. The next sitting of the chamber would otherwise be on 14 November. | An extraordinary session of the chamber could be called as late as 31 October if Westminster passes the withdrawal agreement through all the legislative stages in both the House of Commons and House of Lords. The next sitting of the chamber would otherwise be on 14 November. |
| Juncker said: “We need now to watch events in Westminster very closely but it’s not possible, not imaginable, that this parliament would ratify the agreement before Westminster will have ratified the agreement. First London, then Brussels and Strasbourg.” | |
| Manfred Weber, the leader of the European People’s party, the largest group in the EU parliament, said MEPs should not be in a rush to give their support for the deal. “There is no need to hurry up,” Weber said, adding that the final legal text should be properly scrutinised by MEPs when it is finally ratified in Westminster. | Manfred Weber, the leader of the European People’s party, the largest group in the EU parliament, said MEPs should not be in a rush to give their support for the deal. “There is no need to hurry up,” Weber said, adding that the final legal text should be properly scrutinised by MEPs when it is finally ratified in Westminster. |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| European Union | European Union |
| Donald Tusk | Donald Tusk |
| European commission | European commission |
| Jean-Claude Juncker | Jean-Claude Juncker |
| Boris Johnson | Boris Johnson |
| Europe | Europe |
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