Johnson, U.K. await EU’S call on Brexit delay
LONDON — Prime Minister Boris Johnson has long argued that Brexit will let Britain “take back control” from the European Union.
On Wednesday, Johnson’s future, and his country’s, rested on a decision from Brussels about whether the bloc will delay the U.K.’S scheduled departure to prevent a chaotic no-deal exit in just eight days.
“I don’t think the people of this country want a delay. I don’t want a delay,” Johnson said.
But a postponement appeared inevitable after British lawmakers blocked the prime minister’s attempt on Tuesday to fast-track his Brexit bill through Parliament so that the U.K. can leave the bloc as scheduled on Oct. 31.
The decision means the U.K. is almost certain to miss that deadline and leaves Johnson with two options: try again to pass the stalled deal, or seek an early election.
Both courses depend on the EU’S response to the U.K.’S request for a three-month delay. The request was ordered by Parliament to avert the economic damage that could come from a no-deal exit and made, grudgingly, by Johnson on Saturday.
“Alas, we cannot now know what the EU will do in response to the request from Parliament — I stress it wasn’t my request — to ask for a delay,” Johnson told British lawmakers Wednesday.
European Council President Donald Tusk said in a tweet that he would recommend that the other 27 EU nations grant Britain a delay.
European Parliament President David Sassoli echoed that sentiment, saying that European leaders should accept the Brexit extension.
The bloc’s chief Brexit official,
Guy Verhofstadt, agreed, saying a three-month flexible extension was needed to give European Parliament members time to check the details of the withdrawal agreement.