BREXIT IS DELAYED

Exit date postponed until at least next month

BREXIT will be delayed until at least next month after a late-night deal in Brussels.

European Union leaders rejected Theresa May’s appeal for an extension until June 30 after hours of fraught negotiations.

They agreed to extend Article 50 until May 22 – if she gets her deal through Parliament next week.

But they warned Mrs May that if the deal was not passed she must make a decision by April 12 – just three weeks’ time – on what to do next.

At that point, she will have to decide whether to leave with No Deal or seek a longer delay, probably until at least the end of the year, which will require the UK to take part in the European Parliament elections on May 23.

It came after ministers said she was prepared to take Britain out of the EU without a deal if her agreement is not passed in the Commons next week.

The PM appeared to express regret for her controversial remarks earlier this week which blamed MPs for failing to agree on a deal. In a latenight press conference in Brussels, she said Britain was now at a ‘moment of decision’.

She added: ‘I know MPs on all sides of the debate have passionate views and I respect those different positions.

‘[On Wednesday night] I expressed my frustrations and I know that MPs are frustrated too – they have difficult jobs to do. I hope we can all agree that we are now at the moment of decision and I’ll make every effort to make sure we can leave with a deal and move our country forward.’

Last night’s announcement removed the prospect of a No Deal Brexit a week today.

After seven hours of talks, EU leaders agreed a fudge that will effectively put back the possibility of a No Deal Brexit to April 12.

The proposal means that if MPs back Mrs May’s deal then Britain’s departure will be delayed until May 22 to allow time for the necessary legislation to pass. If the deal is not passed then Mrs May has until April 12 to inform the EU of her next steps.

But she added that last night’s plan outlined the ‘importance of the House of Commons passing the Brexit deal next week so we can put an end to the uncertainty’.

Mrs May said: ‘I welcome the Council’s approval of the legally-binding assurances in relation to the Northern Ireland backstop, which I negotiated with President Juncker last week.

‘This should give extra assurance to Parliament that in the unlikely event that the backstop is ever used it will only be temporary and that the UK and EU will begin work immediately to replace it with alternative arrangements by the end of December 2020.’

European Council president Donald Tusk said the response to Britain’s request for an extension to the Article 50 withdrawal process was agreed ‘unanimously’ by EU leaders. ‘In regards to the extension our decision envis- aged two scenarios,’ he said. ‘In the first scenario, that is if the agreement is passed next week, the Council agrees an extension to May 22.

‘In the second scenario, if the agreement is not approved, the European Council agrees an extension until April 12 while expecting the UK to indicate a way forward.

‘What this means in practice is that until that date all options remain open.’

Last night’s extension announcement came after three senior ministers said they believe that if Mrs May’s deal is rejected by MPs again, she would rather sanction No Deal than plunge the UK into the limbo of a lengthy delay.

It was claimed 18 Remainer ministers are threatening to quit in a plot to snatch control of Brexit and avoid No Deal.

They want votes on alternatives to Mrs May’s deal, including a longer delay, or even reversing the exit process. Ministers had told the Mail they expected Mrs May to take Britain out of the EU without a deal if her plan was voted down for a third time.

Comment – Page 18

‘A moment of decision