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EU delays decision on Brexit extension until MPs vote on election EU delays decision on Brexit extension until MPs vote on election
(32 minutes later)
The EU will delay its decision on the length of the next Brexit extension until next Monday or Tuesday to take into account the result of a vote on Boris Johnson’s demand for a pre-Christmas general election. The EU is delaying its decision on the length of the next Brexit extension until next Monday or Tuesday after France insisted on waiting until after a vote on Boris Johnson’s demand for a pre-Christmas general election.
Speaking after a two-hour meeting of ambassadors in Brussels on Friday, the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said an “excellent” discussion had concluded without any clear way forward. “No decision,” he said. During a meeting of EU diplomats, the French ambassador stood alone in arguing that it was not the right time to agree a three-month delay.
It is understood that only the French government stood in the way of the EU granting the three-month extension that Johnson sought in his letter sent last Saturday. Only after the vote on Monday should the EU decide to “go short, to push for ratification, or long to privilege a general election”, the ambassador told the other member states.
An EU source said the bloc’s offer would now be made on Monday or Tuesday – 48 hours before the UK is due to leave the EU on 31 October – but that the president of the European council, Donald Tusk, had no intention of calling a special summit. The prevarication in Brussels will leave the issue of an extension in doubt with as little as 48 hours to go before the UK is due to leave.
The EU’s delay leaves Jeremy Corbyn with a difficult decision to make. He had said Labour would only vote in favour of a general election if the EU confirmed on Friday that it would grant an extension to 31 January, taking a no-deal Brexit “off the table”. EU sources said that the chances of leaders being called to a summit to decide the issue had risen. “It has not been ruled out at all,” a source said.
An EU source said of the meeting of EU27 ambassadors in Brussels: “There was full agreement on the need for an extension. There was full agreement to reach a unanimous, consensual EU27 decision. And there was full agreement to aim to take the decision by written procedure … Work will continue over the weekend.” The 26 other member states are understood to have argued that France was playing a dangerous game by “playing ping-pong with the UK and reacting to every twist and turn”. “Let’s take a step back,” one diplomat said.
The diplomatic source added that EU27 diplomats “expected to meet early next week to finalise an agreement”. The delay is politically difficult for Jeremy Corbyn, who had said Labour would only vote in favour of a general election if the EU confirmed it would grant an extension to 31 January, taking a no-deal Brexit off the table. The prime minister reacted to the latest developments by calling for the Labour leader to “man up”.
After the two-hour meeting in Brussels on Friday, the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, had conceded that an “excellent” discussion had concluded without any clear way forward. “No decision,” he said.
An EU source said of the meeting of EU27 ambassadors: “There was full agreement on the need for an extension. There was full agreement to reach a unanimous, consensual EU27 decision. And there was full agreement to aim to take the decision by written procedure … Work will continue over the weekend.”
The diplomatic source added that EU27 diplomats were “expected to meet early next week to finalise an agreement” and that the president of the European council, Donald Tusk, had “no intention” of calling a summit.
A majority of member states want to accept the terms of an extension reluctantly requested by Johnson under which Brexit could be delayed until 31 January, but with the opportunity to leave earlier if the withdrawal agreement was ratified in Westminster and by the European parliament.A majority of member states want to accept the terms of an extension reluctantly requested by Johnson under which Brexit could be delayed until 31 January, but with the opportunity to leave earlier if the withdrawal agreement was ratified in Westminster and by the European parliament.
Boris Johnson has three options to try and call a general election. Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, an election may be called if it is agreed by two-thirds of the total number of MPs. Johnson presented motions for an election on 4 and 9 September and failed on both occasions when the majority of Labour MPs abstained. Johnson could try this again and potentially secure Labour backing, because the Benn act has removed the imminent possibility of a no-deal Brexit.Boris Johnson has three options to try and call a general election. Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, an election may be called if it is agreed by two-thirds of the total number of MPs. Johnson presented motions for an election on 4 and 9 September and failed on both occasions when the majority of Labour MPs abstained. Johnson could try this again and potentially secure Labour backing, because the Benn act has removed the imminent possibility of a no-deal Brexit.
This lowers the threshold of MPs needed to trigger a general election because it requires a simple majority to pass. This could work in Johnson’s favour. However, it is amendable, which can involve the moving of an election date to a time that works for the opposition. This lowers the threshold of MPs needed to trigger a general election because it requires a simple majority to pass. This could work in Johnson’s favour. However, it is amendable, which can involve the moving of an election date to a time that works for the opposition. 
The leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, can call a no-confidence motion in the prime minister. This needs a simple majority to pass. He has been urged to do this by Johnson several times as a way of triggering an election, but Corbyn has resisted. It begins a 14-day period in which either the prime minister or someone else can try to form a new government. While Johnson could potentially lose this, and therefore his place as prime minister, to another Conservative, Corbyn could also struggle to get enough MPs to rally around him to form a government. The Scottish National party has said it would back him, but the Liberal Democrats have been extremely vocal in saying they would not support him. An election is triggered if, at the end of the two-week period, no alternative government has been formed.The leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, can call a no-confidence motion in the prime minister. This needs a simple majority to pass. He has been urged to do this by Johnson several times as a way of triggering an election, but Corbyn has resisted. It begins a 14-day period in which either the prime minister or someone else can try to form a new government. While Johnson could potentially lose this, and therefore his place as prime minister, to another Conservative, Corbyn could also struggle to get enough MPs to rally around him to form a government. The Scottish National party has said it would back him, but the Liberal Democrats have been extremely vocal in saying they would not support him. An election is triggered if, at the end of the two-week period, no alternative government has been formed.
Kate Proctor Political correspondentKate Proctor Political correspondent
Those terms were due to be signed off on Friday but ran into trouble. “There is one country standing in the way – France,” a diplomat said. “Everyone is very frustrated. They were told that a short extension ran the risk of an accidental no-deal Brexit.” Those terms had been due to be signed off on Friday. “There is one country standing in the way – France,” a diplomat said. “Everyone is very frustrated. They were told that a short extension ran the risk of an accidental no-deal Brexit.”
“It is the French, always the French,” said a second senior diplomat. “It is the French, always the French,” said a second senior diplomat. “And they never back down.”
Sources suggested that France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, was keen to appear helpful to Downing Street and keep the pressure on MPs. On Thursday, France’s EU minister, Amélie de Montchalin, told RTL radio that clarity over the next steps in London was needed for decisions to be made in “the next hours and days”. Sources suggested that France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, was keen to appear helpful to Downing Street and keep the pressure on MPs.
As a result, there remains the possibility that the EU will offer a shorter delay, to mid or late November, merely to allow time for ratification, although sources suggested this remained unlikely. “We agreed we all want to avoid a no deal – and a short extension will just raise the possibility,” said an EU source. As a result, if there is no general election, there remains the possibility that the EU will offer a shorter delay, to mid or late November, merely to allow time for ratification, although sources suggested this remained unlikely. “We agreed we all want to avoid a no deal – and a short extension will just raise the possibility,” said an EU source.
By meddling with the terms of the extension request laid out in the Benn act, the prime minister is also placed under a different set of obligations. By meddling with the terms of the extension request laid out in the Benn act, the prime minister would also be placed under a different set of obligations. If the three-month extension to 31 January is offered, Johnson will have to agree to it. A different formulation would require parliament to pass a motion endorsing the extension request. Johnson would then need to formally agree to it with the EU by 30 October or within 48 hours, depending on which is earlier.
If the three months to 31 January is offered, he must agree to it. A different formulation would require parliament to pass a motion endorsing the extension request. Johnson would then need to agree the terms with the EU by 30 October or within 48 hours, depending on which is earlier.
BrexitBrexit
Michel BarnierMichel Barnier
European UnionEuropean Union
EuropeEurope
Foreign policyForeign policy
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