Theresa May to ask EU for another Brexit extension

UK Prime Minister Theresa May will ask the European Union for another extension to next week’s Brexit deadline.

“We will need a further extension of Article 50, one that is as short as possible and which ends when we pass a deal, and we need to be clear what such an extension is for to ensure that we leave in a timely and orderly manner,” May said. “This debate, this division cannot drag on much longer.”

The prime minister was addressing the nation following seven hours of cabinet meetings, which in her own words had focused on finding a route of the current impasse. “One that will deliver the Brexit the people voted for and that will bring our divided country back together.”

She acknowledged that there were many that were fed of the endless arguments and extensions and who would like to leave next week without a deal, but insisted that she had always been clear in saying that Brexit could be a success only with a deal.

The current situation, she said, was putting a significant amount of pressure on MPs and was doing great damage to the country’s politics.

Under the current agreement, the UK has till the 12 April to propose a plan, which must then be accepted by the EU.

May said she would be meeting Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in order to agree on a plan for a future relationship with the EU, insisting however, that her withdrawal agreement would remain part of the deal.  

MPs have twice rejected May’s withdrawal agreement. A number of indicative votes on a future relationship with the EU were all rejected by MPs yesterday.

European Council president Donald Tusk reacted to May’s press conference by calling for patience.

“Even if, after today, we don’t know what the end result will be, let us be patient,” Tusk said.

READ MROE: In case you forgot how the UK got itself into its Brexit mess...