EU to hear May’s plea for Brexit delay

BRUSSELS — British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday hoped to persuade European Union leaders to delay the United Kingdom’s divorce from the bloc by up to three months, with her plans in chaos just eight days before Britain’s scheduled departure.

May was expected to meet the 27 other national EU leaders in Brussels, a day after she wrote requesting an extension of the Brexit deadline until June 30.

The bloc is weary of the political soap opera over Brexit. EU Council chief Donald Tusk, who is overseeing the summit, said a short delay should be possible, but only if Britain’s Parliament approves May’s divorce deal with the EU before the scheduled March 29 departure date.

That is a tall order. The deal has twice been rejected by hefty margins in Britain’s Parliament, amid opposition from both pro-Brexit and pro-EU lawmakers.

May said lawmakers now face a “final choice” between her deal, a no-deal departure that could hammer the economy, and canceling Brexit.

But the prime minister angered many legislators with a televised speech late Wednesday blaming Parliament for the Brexit impasse.

May told voters weary of the Brexit saga that has dragged on for almost three years: “You want this stage of the Brexit process to be over and done with. I agree. I am on your side.”

She didn’t accept a role in causing the deadlock, but warned that if lawmakers didn’t back her deal, it would cause “irreparable damage to public trust”.

Pro-EU Conservative lawmaker Sam Gyimah called May’s comments “toxic”.

“Resorting to the ‘blame game’ as the PM is doing is a low blow,” he said.

But British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said May was simply expressing frustration and tapping into the public’s exasperated mood. Parliament must come to a consensus in a time of national decision, he told the BBC.

“In fairness, what she is actually saying is that we have to implement the results of a democratic referendum,” he said. “That’s the challenge.”

It remains unclear exactly what happens next. Hunt said he did not know if May’s Brexit deal will be brought back to Parliament next week, as he warned of “extreme unpredictability” if the issue is not resolved soon.