May gets a breather till October to fix Brexit

brussels — European Union leaders gave Britain six more months to leave the bloc, more than Prime Minister Theresa May says she needs but less than many in the bloc wanted, thanks to fierce resistance from France.

The summit deal in Brussels in the early hours of Thursday meant Britain will not crash out on Friday without a treaty to smooth its passage. But it offers little clarity on when, how or even if Brexit will happen, as May struggles to build support in parliament for withdrawal terms agreed with the EU last year.

With German Chancellor Angela Merkel insisting that Britain would not be forced out and that a chaotic no-deal departure must be avoided if at all possible, there was never any real doubt that May would get an extension.

The drama was about its length and conditions.

The prime minister was keen to stress that the extension to Oct. 31 — and several leaders refused to rule out further delays — did not mean she would not deliver Brexit sooner. —

london — British Prime Minister Theresa May defended her decision to delay Brexit and seek a compromise exit plan with the opposition Labour Party as one angry lawmaker stood up in parliament on Thursday and asked her to resign.

The European Union has agreed to delay Brexit by up to six months to October 31 while May seeks an agreement with Labour that she hopes will help get her thrice-rejected exit deal approved by parliament.

“This is not the normal way of British politics ... Reaching an agreement will not be easy, because to be successful it will require both sides to make compromises,” May told parliament.

But her statement on the decision to delay Britain’s EU exit for a second time brought angry reaction from Leave hardliners. Arch eurosceptic Bill Cash described it as “abject surrender”.

“Does she also accept that the Withdrawal Agreement undermines our democracy, the constitutional basis of Northern Ireland, our right to govern ourselves, control over our laws and undermines our national interest? Will she resign?” he said.

May retorted: “I think you know the answer to that.”

She said nothing was more pressing or vital than delivering Brexit, and emphasised that Britain could leave before Oct. 31 and avoid taking part in European Parliament elections if lawmakers approve her deal by May 22.

The Northern Irish party which props up May’s government would consider it unacceptable if she tries to extend the current two-year parliamentary session beyond the summer, its deputy leader Nigel Dodds said on Thursday.

The Democratic Unionist Party’s deal with the government is due to be reviewed at the end of the session. After the EU agreed to delay Brexit to the end of October, some commentators have said the government could extend the session until then rather than set out a new legislative programme in the summer.

“There is some talk around of extending this session beyond two years. Can I say on that point that I think many in this House, including on this bench, would regard that as something that is not acceptable,” Dodds told May in parliament. —

This is not the normal way of British politics ... Reaching an agreement will not be easy, because to be successful it will require both sides to make compromises

Theresa May, British PM