Please explain why Britain deserves an Article 50 extension, Barnier tells May
MICHEL BARNIER has told Theresa May to make her mind up about what Britain wants from its future relationship with the EU and explain why the bloc should grant an extension to the Brexit talks before tomorrow’s summit in Brussels.
The EU’S chief Brexit negotiator warned Britain and the EU to prepare for a no-deal Brexit yesterday before hinting the only way to avoid it would be through a general election or second referendum.
“It is our duty to ask whether this extension would be useful because an extension will be something which would extend uncertainty and uncertainty costs,” he said.
He was speaking after a meeting of Europe ministers in Brussels, which ended in yet more frustration over Britain’s inability to deliver a solid proposal on how to break the Brexit deadlock in the House of Commons.
The Daily Telegraph understands that David Lidington, the de facto deputy prime minister, initially told ministers that Britain was open to a long extension of Article 50, so long as it would fall away in the event of a deal being ratified in Westminster.
But in a humiliating climbdown, Mr Lidington was forced to later inform them that Theresa May’s own cabinet had rejected the plan, leading to yet more confusion after Europe ministers had declared themselves “exhausted” with the Brexit talks and demanded a concrete plan from London.
Olly Robbins, Mrs May’s chief Europe adviser, was last night understood to be en route to Brussels to try and reach a deal with the EU ahead of tomorrow’s talks.
Simon Coveney, Ireland’s deputy prime minister, said: “We’re awaiting clarity from London and that may or may not come in the form of a letter from the British prime minister.”
A grim-faced Mr Barnier said that uncertainty for business and citizens could no longer continue.
“Last week the Commons voted against the Withdrawal Agreement and against the no deal scenario. But voting against no deal does not prevent it from happening. Everyone should now finalise all preparations for a no deal scenario. On the EU side we are prepared,” Mr Barnier told a press conference in a bid to pile the pressure on Mrs May. He also warned that the EU was reluctant to offer an extension to Article 50, the negotiation process, unless Theresa May presented them with a clear plan on what would happen next.
“If not, what would be the purpose and outcome be for an extension? And how can we ensure at the end of a possible extension we are not back in same situation?”
Mr Barnier added that “a longer extension needs to be linked to something new, a new political process. I cannot attempt to pre-empt such a process at this time.” The EU-27 is understood to only be prepared to offer a longer extension, of about a year, if it means the Brexit deal will be ratified, or to give time for revocation of Article 50, or a general election, a second referendum or a shift towards a “Norway plus” type relationship.
Backbench Eurosceptic Tory MPS have been leading a behind the scenes bid to persuade EU leaders to veto any delay to Brexit at this week’s summit.
The talks have been discussed at meetings of the European Research Group of Conservative MPS and the initiative is led by Daniel Kawczynski, Craig Mackinlay and Owen Paterson. The Hungarian, Czech and Slovak governments, all of whom wield a veto, were contacted but there is no expectation in Brussels that they will break ranks and effectively trigger no deal.
The Telegraph understands that discussion among the Europe ministers has been on whether to set out in the summit conclusions that a decision can be made by a “written procedure” or to leave that open, pending developments in London. Such a written procedure could theoretically be rushed through at an hour before the March 29 midnight deadline, but the EU would prefer clarity before then.