The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Prime minister’s ‘great personal regret’ over exit delay.
PM addresses nation and pledges to get twice-rejected deal through Parliament
Theresa May has blamed MPS for failing to implement the result of the 2016 EU referendum, and told voters who want Brexit to be over: “I am on your side.”
In a televised address from Downing Street, Mrs May said that it was “a matter of great personal regret” for her to have to ask for a three-month delay to Britain’s withdrawal from the EU, which was due to take place on March 29.
She will go to Brussels today to make a formal request to the other 27 EU leaders for an extension to the two-year Article 50 negotiation process.
Earlier, European Council president Donald Tusk said he believed a short delay “would be possible” after he spoke to the prime minister by phone.
But he said that the extension – which must be agreed unanimously by the EU27 – was likely to be conditional on Mrs May succeeding in forcing her twice-rejected Brexit deal through Parliament.
The PM made the request in a letter to Mr Tusk exactly 1,000 days after the 2016 referendum which delivered a 52%-48% majority to quit the EU.
Speaking behind a lectern in 10 Downing Street, Mrs May said that MPS – who rejected her deal by 230 votes in January and 149 last week – had been “unable to agree on a way to implement the UK’S withdrawal”.
And in a message directed at voters, she added: “Of this, I am absolutely sure: You the public have had enough.
“You are tired of the infighting, you’re tired of the political games and the arcane procedural rows, tired of MPS talking about nothing else but Brexit when you have real concerns about our children’s schools, our National Health Service, knife crime.
“You want this stage of the Brexit process to be over and done with. I agree. I am on your side. It is now time for MPS to decide.”
The prime minister said MPS had so far done “everything possible” to avoid making a decision on the way forward.
She warned that an extended delay mean staging “bitter and divisive” elections to the European Parliament at a time the country needed bringing back together.
“I passionately hope MPS will find a way to back the deal I have negotiated with the EU. I will continue to work night and day to secure the support of my colleagues, the DUP and others for this deal. But I am not prepared to delay Brexit any further than June 30.”
In his statement, Mr Tusk said it should be possible for EU leaders meeting in Brussels to approve an extension to Article 50, although the “question remains open” as to the duration.
He said it should then be possible to finalise the deal through the “written procedure” without the need for another summit – provided it secured the backing of MPS.
If the delay is approved by the EU leaders, Mrs May will rush legislation through both Houses of Parliament next week to remove the March 29 leaving date from Brexit laws.
At a stormy session of Prime Minister’s Questions she told MPS she intended to table her Withdrawal Agreement for a third time in the Commons, in the hope of overturning massive defeats inflicted on it in January and March.
Aides declined to name a date for the third “meaningful vote” but said it would happen “as soon as possible”.