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European leaders back call to grant Brexit delay to end of January European leaders expected to grant Brexit delay
(about 7 hours later)
The Irish taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and the European parliament’s president have backed Donald Tusk’s call to grant the UK government a Brexit delay up to 31 January 2020. Boris Johnson will be left waiting for the EU’s terms for a further Brexit extension until Friday, with signs of momentum building behind Donald Tusk’s plan for a delay up to 31 January.
Following a phone call between Tusk, the president of the European council, and Varadkar on Wednesday morning, the two men agreed the EU27 should agree to the request reluctantly tabled by Boris Johnson on Saturday. The French government has privately voiced its concerns about taking the pressure off MPs to vote for the deal, which they believe could be ratified in 15 days, but EU sources said the bloc was seeking a “solution that works for all” and avoids a no deal exit.
“The taoiseach confirmed his support for President Tusk’s proposal to grant the request for an extension, which was sought by the UK,” a statement from the Irish government said. “They noted it would still be possible for the UK to leave before 31 January 2020 if the withdrawal agreement has been ratified in advance of that date.” Tusk, the president of the European council, told Johnson in a phone call on Wednesday his reasons for “recommending the EU27 accept the UK request for an extension”.
The debate among the EU27 is whether to follow Tusk’s lead and offer a three-month delay that could be terminated following ratification of the deal, or seek to put pressure on MPs with a shorter extension, an idea raised by France’s president, Emmanuel Macron.
Tusk has suggested leaders can avoid convening for a summit if they agree to the three months sought in the prime minister’s letter of request through a “written procedure”.
After a 90-minute meeting of EU ambassadors on Wednesday evening, there appeared to be momentum behind Tusk’s strategy. “All agreed on the need for an extension to avoid a no-deal Brexit”, an EU source said. “The duration of an extension is still being discussed. There was a strong preference to use a written procedure to take the final decision.”
One EU diplomat said: “It felt like we were all going in one direction – towards a flextension to 31 January – but nothing is decided. It needs to work for everyone.”
The French ambassador is understood to have insisted that the EU avoid getting dragged in “domestic politics” in Britain, and questioned whether that would be a consequence of a longer extension. “If we give it, are we making an election happen?” said a source.
Johnson has threatened to push for a general election if the EU agrees to the delay of up to three months that he was instructed to seek on Saturday under the Benn act.
France’s ambassador had told the EU27 that any delay needed “to be associated with a justification”. “It needs to be proportionate,” he told the room. He added that there was no “automaticity” between the request tabled and the EU agreeing to it.
Macron has consistently been one the hawks among the EU27 who is wary of giving MPs more time for prevarication. He believes he was right in April when he pushed for a shorter, one-off delay to focus minds in the British parliament on the need to ratify the deal.
But the EU source said none of the ambassadors had spoken stridently against a delay to 31 January. “We need a mechanism to link the length of the delay with a justification. No one spoke about a 15-day extension, as we have heard before from France. It was all very reasonable.”
A source said: “A large number were perfectly happy with the Tusk proposal, others needed some time to reflect. Germany is among those but has been clear that it is fine with the plan.”
Monday has been pencilled in as a summit day if the leaders cannot agree and feel the need to debate the issue in person. “But no one wants that,” a diplomatic source said.
The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said Brussels was seeking “clarification” from London.
If Johnson is able to agree with Jeremy Corbyn on a new timetable for passing the withdrawal agreement bill, and makes a public request, a delay to 1 December could still be on offer.
The Irish taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and the European parliament’s president, David Sassoli, backed Tusk on Wednesday.
Varadkar told reporters: “There is no extension agreed. The European Union has not agreed an extension for the UK as yet. President Tusk is currently in the process of consulting the 27 heads of state and government. We spoke this morning. He is recommending that we accept an extension until January 31 that could be terminated early if the House of Commons and House of Lords ratifies an agreement.
“I agreed to that but that’s not yet agreed by the 27 and we may have to have an emergency European council over the course of the next few days to discuss it if he can’t get consensus. My bags are always packed for Brussels and packed they are again.”
Brexit: Johnson and Corbyn meet to discuss timetable for bill – live newsBrexit: Johnson and Corbyn meet to discuss timetable for bill – live news
David Sassoli, the European parliament president, pointed out there was only one request “on the table” and it deserved the EU27’s support. Sassoli pointed out there was only one request “on the table” and he said it deserved the EU27’s support.
“After the vote of the British parliament to allow more time to examine details of the withdrawal agreement and Boris Johnson’s decision to pause the bill following the vote, the British government’s request for an extension until 31 January remains on the table,” he said. He said: “I think it is advisable, as requested by Donald Tusk, that the European council should accept this extension. This extension will allow the United Kingdom to clarify its position and the European parliament to exercise its role.”
“I think it is advisable, as requested by Donald Tusk, that the European council should accept this extension. This extension will allow the United Kingdom to clarify its position and the European parliament to exercise its role.”
The EU27 need to agree unanimously on the issue of an extension. Sources said their response would not be given until Friday at the earliest.
Tusk tweeted that he had informed Johnson of his reasons for backing a three month extension. “In my phone call with PM Boris Johnson I gave reasons why I’m recommending the EU27 accept the UK request for an extension”, he wrote.
The public show of support for a further delay up to 31 January is being seen in Brussels as an attempt to force the hand of the French president, Emmanuel Macron.
The Élysée Palace has issued a series of statements pouring doubt on the wisdom of an extension longer than a few days. Macron believes he was right in April when he pushed for a shorter, one-off delay to focus minds in the British parliament on the need to ratify the deal.
There is concern in Brussels and Dublin, however, that by offering a shorter extension, the EU would be dragged into the British internal debate and be left culpable for a no-deal Brexit if the House of Commons failed to swiftly approve the deal.
EU ambassadors are to meet on Wednesday evening to discuss an extension.
EU sources said that a shorter extension could only be considered if Johnson formally and publicly changed the nature of the extension he was seeking.
If the EU’s leaders are unable to agree on the UK’s proposed extension, a summit could be called as early as Friday.
Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, told reporters in Strasbourg: “First of all we need some clarification on the UK side what will be the next step for them and as far as the request asked last week by the British government for the extension, it’s for EU27 to decide. There is a current consultation now launched by president Tusk.”
On Tuesday evening, MPs voted down the government’s accelerated timetable for passing the withdrawal agreement bill through the Commons in three days. Johnson subsequently said he would pause the progress of the bill until the EU responded to his request for a delay.
Downing Street sources briefed that the prime minister would push for a general election if the EU granted the three-month extension Johnson had been instructed to request under the Benn act.
In response, Tusk had said he hoped to find agreement on an extension to 31 January through “written procedure”. Such a move would allow the EU27 to agree without holding a summit.
“Following PM’s decision to pause the process of ratification of the withdrawal agreement, and in order to avoid a no-deal Brexit, I will recommend the EU27 accept the UK request for an extension. For this I will propose a written procedure,” he tweeted.
BrexitBrexit
European UnionEuropean Union
Boris JohnsonBoris Johnson
Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar
Donald TuskDonald Tusk
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