Tusk gives Britain just 10 days to explain its plan B to EU leaders

‘The default option will be the no deal, which has become more likely’

DONALD TUSK called an April 10 emergency EU summit seconds after MPS rejected Theresa May’s Brexit deal yesterday, as Michel Barnier warned no deal was “more likely” as the agreement was defeated for a third time.

The Daily Telegraph understands that the EU wants Britain to explain its plan B in just 10 days, by April 8.

The summit will be held just two days before the new Brexit deadline of April 12 and Britain will be expected to use it to ask for a long extension to the Article 50 process, meaning European Parliament elections being held in May.

Mr Tusk, who supports a lengthy Brexit extension of about a year, said: “In view of the rejection of the Withdrawal Agreement ... I have decided to call a European Council on 10 April.”

“The default option will be the no deal, which has become more likely,” added Mr Barnier, the EU Brexit chief negotiator. “It was never our scenario but the EU27 is now prepared.”

A European Council official said: “We expect the UK to indicate a way forward before then, well in time for the European Council to consider.”

EU leaders ruled last week that the Article 50 period would be automatically extended until April 12 if MPS voted down the deal.

Before yesterday’s vote, Mr Barnier said the EU would be open to a possible long Brexit extension and also “open to work on the principle of a permanent customs union, should the UK choose to take this path”. He said such an agreement could be ready in 48 hours.

Mr Barnier told EU27 ambassadors earlier this week that there was a glimmer of hope that a majority could emerge in favour of a customs union, an option supported by Labour. It would help solve the vexed issue of the Irish border but would curb Britain’s independent trade policy.

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said at the last summit the EU would accept a long extension only in the event of “deep political change” in Britain, understood to mean a general election or a second referendum.

Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister, said he would meet Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, and Mr Macron before the summit.

“I believe we must be open to a long extension should the United Kingdom decide to fundamentally reconsider its approach to Brexit and put back on the table options previously ruled out,” he added.

However, other EU leaders heaped pressure on Britain for a new plan.

“UK must now show a way to avoid no deal,” said Lars Løkke Rasmussen, the Danish prime minister. “Almost out of options and time.”

“I regret the renewed rejection of the Withdrawal Agreement,” said Sebastian Kurz, the Austrian chancellor. “We continue to advocate an orderly Brexit, even if it is now becoming less and less likely.”