British prime minister Theresa May warned on Monday that Britain’s planned exit from the EU could be derailed, a lastditch effort to win over Brexit supporting MPs who have repeatedly said they will vote down her divorce deal.
The fate of the United Kingdom’s March 29 exit from the EU is deeply uncertain as parliament is likely to reject May’s deal on Tuesday evening, opening up outcomes ranging from a disorderly divorce to reversing Brexit altogether.
Amid the deepest crisis in British politics for at least half a century, May and EU leaders exchanged letters giving assurances on her withdrawal agreement, though there was little sign of a change of heart among rebel MPs.
May used a speech at a china factory in the leave-supporting city of Stoke-on-Trent, central England, to say that MPs blocking Brexit altogether was now a more likely outcome than Britain leaving without a deal.
“There are some in Westminster who would wish to delay, or even stop, Brexit and who will use every device available to them to do so,” the prime minister said.
As the world’s biggest trading bloc tried to brace for an unpredictable ride, Spain said the EU could agree to extend the deadline for Brexit, but not beyond elections for the European Parliament due in May.
May warned MPs on Sunday that failing to deliver Brexit would be catastrophic for democracy, and her ministers said that thwarting the outcome of the 2016 referendum could lead to a rise in far-right populism.
As part of the effort to get the deal approved by the British parliament, the EU and May set out some assurances in a choreographed exchange of letters on Monday.
The EU told May that it stood by commitments to find ways to avoid triggering the controversial “Irish backstop” in their Brexit deal.
This pledge, they said, had legal weight.
In a joint reply to questions from May, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk said the EU stood by its commitment to try to reach a post-Brexit trade deal by the end of 220 so as to avoid using the unpopular backstop. –
Brexit could be derailed, May warns
Image: AFP
British prime minister Theresa May warned on Monday that Britain’s planned exit from the EU could be derailed, a lastditch effort to win over Brexit supporting MPs who have repeatedly said they will vote down her divorce deal.
The fate of the United Kingdom’s March 29 exit from the EU is deeply uncertain as parliament is likely to reject May’s deal on Tuesday evening, opening up outcomes ranging from a disorderly divorce to reversing Brexit altogether.
Amid the deepest crisis in British politics for at least half a century, May and EU leaders exchanged letters giving assurances on her withdrawal agreement, though there was little sign of a change of heart among rebel MPs.
May used a speech at a china factory in the leave-supporting city of Stoke-on-Trent, central England, to say that MPs blocking Brexit altogether was now a more likely outcome than Britain leaving without a deal.
“There are some in Westminster who would wish to delay, or even stop, Brexit and who will use every device available to them to do so,” the prime minister said.
As the world’s biggest trading bloc tried to brace for an unpredictable ride, Spain said the EU could agree to extend the deadline for Brexit, but not beyond elections for the European Parliament due in May.
May warned MPs on Sunday that failing to deliver Brexit would be catastrophic for democracy, and her ministers said that thwarting the outcome of the 2016 referendum could lead to a rise in far-right populism.
As part of the effort to get the deal approved by the British parliament, the EU and May set out some assurances in a choreographed exchange of letters on Monday.
The EU told May that it stood by commitments to find ways to avoid triggering the controversial “Irish backstop” in their Brexit deal.
This pledge, they said, had legal weight.
In a joint reply to questions from May, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk said the EU stood by its commitment to try to reach a post-Brexit trade deal by the end of 220 so as to avoid using the unpopular backstop. –
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