Theresa May to ask EU for further Brexit extension

[webfact]

May gambles on talks with Labour to unlock Brexit, enraging her own party

By Guy Faulconbridge, Elizabeth Piper and Kate Holton

 

British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks to the press at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Belgium February 7, 2019. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir/Files

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday she would seek another Brexitdelay to agree an EU divorce deal with the opposition Labour leader, a last-ditch gambit to break an impasse over Britain's departure that enraged many in her party.

 

Nearly three years since the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in a shock referendum result, it is still unclear how, when or if it will ever indeed quit the European club it first joined in 1973.

 

In a hastily arranged statement from her Downing Street office after spending seven hours chairing cabinet meetings on how to plot a way out of the Brexit maze, May said she was seeking another short extension to Brexit beyond April 12.

 

Her move offers the prospect of keeping the United Kingdom in a much closer economic relationship with the EU after Brexit - though it could also rip her Conservative Party apart as half her lawmakers want a decisive split from the bloc.

 

"I am offering to sit down with the leader of the opposition and to try to agree a plan - that we would both stick to - to ensure that we leave the European Union and that we do so with a deal," she said.

 

"We will need a further extension of Article 50 (divorce notification), one that is as short as possible and which ends when we pass a deal. We need to be clear what such an extension is for - to ensure we leave in a timely and orderly way."

 

Corbyn said he would be "very happy" to meet May and that he would set no limits ahead of the talks, while reiterating that his party aimed to keep a customs union with the EU, access for Britain to its single market and protections for workers.

 

He added that he would hold a vote of no-confidence in the government in reserve if any eventual accord still failed to achieve majority support in a deeply split British parliament.

 

Germany and France called for more clarity from London, warning that without a clear sense of what Britain wanted it could be heading towards a disorderly Brexit within days. The EU's Donald Tusk called for patience with London.

 

MAY'S GAMBLE INFURIATES PARTY EUROSCEPTICS

Keeping Britain closely tied to the EU after Brexit is anathema to much of the Conservative Party. Many Brexit-backing Conservatives were livid at May over her overture to Corbyn.

 

"This is a deeply unsatisfactory approach, it is not in the interests of the country, it fails to deliver on the referendum result and history doesn't bode well for it," Jacob Rees-Mogg, a prominentBrexiteer, told reporters following a meeting of the party's hardline eurosceptic parliamentary group.

 

Boris Johnson, the face of the 2016 Brexit campaign, said a compromise with Labour would betray the referendum, asserting that the world's fifth biggest economy could be outside the EU but still subject to EU rules.

 

"Brexit is becoming soft to the point of disintegration," said Johnson, who resigned as foreign minister last July. Still, May faced no immediate resignations from her senior team.

 

Prominent Brexit supporters in May's cabinet, such as Michael Gove, defended her plan in public after a marathon meeting at which ministers haggled for hours over coffee and sandwiches. They finished with Chilean red wine.

 

Any plan, May said, would have to include the current Withdrawal Agreement that she agreed with the EU in November and which the bloc says it will not reopen.

 

May last week offered to quit if parliament approved her deal but lawmakers defeated it a third time on Friday, the very day Britain had been due to leave the EU. Brexiteers say her deal would trap Britain in the EU's orbit indefinitely but pro-EU opposition parties say her proposed break would isolate Britain and cause lasting economic damage.

 

Lawmakers failed on Monday to find a majority of their own for any alternative plan ranging from a permanent customs union to a confirmatory referendum on any deal and a revocation of the divorce papers to avoid a no-deal crash-out.

 

NEW OPTIONS FOR PARLIAMENT?

May said that if she could not agree a unified approach with Corbyn, a veteran socialist who voted against joining the bloc in 1975, then the government would come up with a number of options on the future relationship with the EU.

 

Then, she said, the government would put them before the House of Commons in a series of votes.

 

"Crucially, the government stands ready to abide by the decision of the house," May said.

 

Her move could cleave apart her Conservatives, who have been grappling with an internal schism over Europe for the past three decades. Over half of her lawmakers voted last week to go for a no-deal Brexit, much to the alarm of British business.

 

"It seems to me that she wants to rely upon Labour votes to get this extension through," David Jones, a Brexit-supporting former Conservative minister, told Reuters. "If she does that, then she is putting the future of the party in peril."

 

May said she wanted the Withdrawal Agreement Bill to be passed before May 22 so that the United Kingdom did not have to take part in elections that month to the European Parliament.

 

Her spokesman said it was possible to cancel participation in the European elections right up to the day of the vote.

 

The impasse has already delayed Brexit for at least two weeks beyond the planned departure date of March 29 to 2200 GMT on April 12.

 

"This is a decisive moment in the story of these islands," May said. "But we can and must find the compromises that will deliver what the British people voted for."

 

(Additional reporting by Jan Strupczewski in Brussels, Andreas Rinke and Michelle Martin in Berlin, Kylie MacLellan, Alistair Smout, William James, Andy Bruce, Costas Pitas, Andrew MacAskill and Ritvik Carvalho in London and Tom Miles in Geneva, Richard Lough, Michel Rose and John Irish in Paris; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-04-03

[Basil B]

Same old deal, nothing's changed, nobody will buy it...

 

Even she is facing up to facts, Monday the Government told the Electoral Commision and election officers to prepare for possible European elections in May.

Edited April 2, 2019 by Basil B

[vogie]

Asking for help from the leader of the opposition who she and her party described as a threat to national security. I just hope that there is some method in her madness.

[Topdoc]

May is being controlled by very powerful vested interests who know that 'no-deal' will be a huge success making other countries also want to leave & causing the downfall of the EU. If the UK prospers with a no-deal, the mask of the EU will fall.

 

“It's complete nonsense that we'd fall off a cliff, we wouldn't be crashing out we'd be cashing in. Come on Government, give the public what they voted for!” John Redwood, MP for Wokingham

[OneMoreFarang]

Yesterday I read an article that more and more Europeans, and especially European politicians, are by now completely fed-up with May and UK Brexit politics.

Imagine these Brits would stay in the EU, that would be a total nightmare.

Please go! Anyway you want, just go!

 

P.S.: I am sorry for the younger generation on the islands. Maybe when their influence gets stronger over the years they can apply for a new EU membership - but obviously without all those special extra rules. Good luck!

[Grouse]

Bye bye CON party. I wonder what name they choose. The hard right Eurosceptics could be "The Knights who say No"

 

 

I see Aqualung rubbing his red wizened hands together with glee at the prospect of precious power. Awful to behold.

 

Brexit should be stopped for a year to allow regrouping. We need a referendum on PR, then a GE and then restart A50 if anyone has the stomach for it.

Edited April 3, 2019 by Grouse

[malagateddy]

After Brexit..certainly a GE and referendum to bin the 1st past the post method of voting in elections

Bye bye CON party. I wonder what name they choose.
 
I see Aqualung rubbing his red wizened hands together with glee. Awful to behold.
 
Brexit should be stopped for a year to allow regrouping. We need a referendum on PR, then a GE and then restart A50 if anyone has the stomach for it.

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Basil B]

53 minutes ago, vogie said:

Asking for help from the leader of the opposition who she and her party described as a threat to national security. I just hope that there is some method in her madness.

I think for once I can agree with you, ...well on two words "her madness".

 

Even if she got Corbyn to agree which I doubt. Can hardly see many Labour MP's following him through the Aye lobby and and an awful lot of Tories still voting against.

 

But I think JC will have his agenda for the meeting and that is to make her look a fool, he is going to have demands that the most Tory MP's will not be able to accept.

 

Quote

That could mean, three cabinet sources suggest, accepting many of Labour's demands for the deal - those six tests, which it has often, frankly, been assumed were designed to be impossible to meet. Irony would ring out if in the end they were all delivered because of the desperation of the Tory prime minister.

One cabinet minister told me the offer to Labour is, "You want soft Brexit - here it is. You help shape it." Potentially, there are political smarts here - challenging Jeremy Corbyn to decide, finally, whether he leads a party that really is up for pushing through our departure from the EU, or a group that wants to fight it until its last breath. Either choice for him is complex given that his party is divided too.

And ministers tonight don't hold out huge hope of a genuinely productive cross-party process. Frankly, they don't know if they can trust Mr Corbyn enough to come to a genuine agreement that Labour would stick to.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47796013

 

[pedro01]

Never saw anything like this before in politics.

 

Deal has been rejected, so she keeps coming back with the same deal.  

 

Amazing.

[Basil B]

4 minutes ago, vinniekintana said:

May 22 is the date to watch.

The EU will grant an extension (obviously), but it will be beyond that date.

Brits will have to hold Euro-elections.

A huge psychological victory for the 'Remain' crowd and the EU

 

After that more faux crises and cock-ups.

May goes to the dustbin...elections  and more cock-ups

In 'exasperation' a new referendum will be called that will have to be 'Remain' (by any means necessary)

 

The serfs won't leave the plantation after all.

This being said, I always say that Blighty is f@rked in or out the EU

 

 

 

The EU is not going to budge an inch unless TM has something really realistic, the 22nd May was to tie up the loose ends on her deal, and that was conditional that it was agreed by last Friday.

 

Any extension unless she can by some miracle get it accepted in the next few days, will have to be a long one probably June 2020, the risk after 12th April is that if we are not committed EU elections we could actually invalidate the whole of the EU elections by revoking Article 50 which we can legally do if we are still in the EU under Article 50. 

 

As I understand it the writ for the EU elections has to be moved on April the 12th so the can be held May 23rd, Nominations need to be in by April 24/25th.

 

[Basil B]

21 minutes ago, pedro01 said:

Never saw anything like this before in politics.

 

Deal has been rejected, so she keeps coming back with the same deal.  

 

Amazing.

For many of us this is the worst political fiasco  we have ever had to endure...

 

Think we have to go back to Chamberlain for anything worse and I doubt there is anyone on this forum alive then.

Edited April 3, 2019 by Basil B

[Loiner]

For many of us this is the worst political fiasco  we have ever had to endure...
 
Think we have to go back to Chamberlain for anything worse and I doubt there is anyone on this forum alive then.

Ann Widdecombe:

“We’ve got the worst Prime Minister since Anthony Eden," She said on the BBC's Newsnight.

“We’ve got the worst leader of the opposition in the entire history of the Labour party.

“And we’ve got the worst Parliament since Oliver Cromwell.”

[Laughing Gravy]

TM showing she really is an EU puppet. I always knew but as it gets closer to the wire, she shows her true colours. I have always believed the true reason for her to stay as PM was to get another Second referendum through with her objective being, we have no other option. It will be the end of the Cons. Now she has brought Jezza on board to share the blame. Labour too.

 

The only positive for me here, although some on here will be seething, is that Nigel Farage and brexiteers will be benefit greatly from all this. I am so looking forward to seeing Nigel in the House of Commons and/or another 20 MEP's like him in Brussels. Will be great.

Edited April 3, 2019 by Laughing Gravy

[SheungWan]

1 hour ago, Topdoc said:

May is being controlled by very powerful vested interests who know that 'no-deal' will be a huge success making other countries also want to leave & causing the downfall of the EU. If the UK prospers with a no-deal, the mask of the EU will fall.

“It's complete nonsense that we'd fall off a cliff, we wouldn't be crashing out we'd be cashing in. Come on Government, give the public what they voted for!” John Redwood, MP for Wokingham

That would be John Redwood, better known as the Vulcan Spock of the USS Enterprise Starship.

[cyril sneer]

UK votes to leave EU mainly to stop free movement of people, so now May asks marxist Corbyn for help

 

You couldn't make it up

[SheungWan]

10 minutes ago, Loiner said:

Ann Widdecombe:
“We’ve got the worst Prime Minister since Anthony Eden," She said on the BBC's Newsnight.
“We’ve got the worst leader of the opposition in the entire history of the Labour party.
“And we’ve got the worst Parliament since Oliver Cromwell.”

That would be Ann Widdicombe, star of Strictly Come Dancing.

[SheungWan]

3 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

UK votes to leave EU mainly to stop free movement of people, so now May asks marxist Corbyn for help

You couldn't make it up

Whereas she should of course ask some nutcase Conspiracy Theorist Hard Brexiteer.

[lovelomsak]

It is staring to look to me like MAY just wants to go down in history as the PM who got brexit through.

[SheungWan]

28 minutes ago, Basil B said:

For many of us this is the worst political fiasco  we have ever had to endure...

Think we have to go back to Chamberlain for anything worse and I doubt there is anyone on this forum alive then.

Please can both sides of the argument lay off the WW2 comparisons. 

[Laughing Gravy]

 

So May wants to get Jezza involved which he wants to be out of the single market in its true form, although somehow linked with the EU but within the customs union. This means the UK becomes a rule taker for goods that it exports and imports with no say. The rule makers are Brussels and the politicians who represent European business. Is this really better?  Why would anyone think this is better than WTO.

 

Remainer MP's are so angry and bitter about the referendum they are going to any length that plunges the country into a disasterous deal because they can't accept a democratic referendum result.

[flossie35]

2 hours ago, Topdoc said:

May is being controlled by very powerful vested interests who know that 'no-deal' will be a huge success making other countries also want to leave & causing the downfall of the EU. If the UK prospers with a no-deal, the mask of the EU will fall.

 

“It's complete nonsense that we'd fall off a cliff, we wouldn't be crashing out we'd be cashing in. Come on Government, give the public what they voted for!” John Redwood, MP for Wokingham

Complete nonsense is all we get from Mr Redwood.

[malagateddy]

Like myself and the hardline Forum Brexiteers..she could do a lot worse[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

Whereas she should of course ask some nutcase Conspiracy Theorist Hard Brexiteer.

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[malagateddy]

Agreed..but she's making chamberlain look 5 star material[emoji47]

Please can both sides of the argument lay off the WW2 comparisons. 

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[welovesundaysatspace]

As much as we like our friends in the UK and want to help, the EU must now think of itself and not grant another extension. There is no point taking the risk that comes with granting another extension. Brexit has proven to be an impossibility; something that can only unite people when it is wrapped in lies, something that cannot get majorities once it showed its true colors. 

 

The realities of Brexit are now known to everyone. There is no need for taking the risk of another extension. The UK can — and must — now make a decision rather then keep chasing pink unicorns. There is enough time until 10 April to choose between the 4-5 ways that exist in reality. 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2019 by welovesundaysatspace

[Chomper Higgot]

2 hours ago, vogie said:

Asking for help from the leader of the opposition who she and her party described as a threat to national security. I just hope that there is some method in her madness.

Given the arguments put forward by Brexiteers during the chaos since the referendum that Brexit is not a party political matter, given too the narrow margin of the referendum result and the narrow majority of the government, TM would have been well advised to have established a coalition government from the outset.

 

The problem here, and the threat to the UK is not Corbyn, it’s Brexit and the Tory Government pushing an ever failing Brexit.

Edited April 3, 2019 by Chomper Higgot

[malagateddy]

Like NO DEAL[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

As much as we like our friends in the UK and want to help, the EU must now think of itself and not grant another extension. There is no point taking the risk that comes with granting another extension. Brexit has proven to be an impossibility; something that can only unite people when it is wrapped in lies, something that cannot get majorities once it showed its true colors. 
 
The realities of Brexit are now known to everyone. There is no need for taking the risk of another extension. The UK can — and must — now make a decision rather then keep chasing pink unicorns. There is enough time until 10 April to choose between the 4-5 ways that exist in reality. 
 
 

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Chomper Higgot]

Brexit and Tories floundering.

 

What’s not to like?

[vogie]

5 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Given the arguments put forward by Brexiteers during the chaos since the referendum that Brexit is not a party political matter, given too the narrow margin of the referendum result and the narrow majority of the government, TM would have been well advided to have established a coalition government from the outset.

 

The problem here, and the treat to the UK is not Corbyn, it’s Brexit and the Tory Government pushing an ever failing Brexit.

Was that a Freudian slip "the treat to the UK is not Corbyn"

 

Yes that would have worked well, a coalition government, why just have one party that has no idea what they are doing, when you can have two, I say you buy one, you get one free..........I say you........

Parliament has to take responsibility too, don't forget it was about leaving the EU, not finding the worst way to remain.

[welovesundaysatspace]

7 minutes ago, malagateddy said:

Like NO DEAL

 

That is one of the options. Whatever it is, I hope the UK leaves, so it can get rid if the cancer called Brexit, to return one day as committed member state, accepting our Euro, red passports and straight bananas. 

[vogie]

6 minutes ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

That is one of the options. Whatever it is, I hope the UK leaves, so it can get rid if the cancer called Brexit, to return one day as committed member state, accepting our Euro, red passports and straight bananas. 

You are not in sync with your glorious leaders, they still want our money, if not ourselves. Have you read Donald Tusk latest tweet "we must be patient"