Theresa May has written to European Council president Donald Tusk requesting an extension to Article 50 until June 30. The Prime Minister said she will seek to ratify her Withdrawal Agreement before the European Parliament elections on May 23, but will make “responsible preparations” to take part if that does not prove possible.
European Council President Donald Tusk is proposing to offer the UK a 12-month flexible extension to its Brexit date, according to a senior EU source. His plan would allow the UK to leave sooner if Parliament ratifies a deal, but it would need to be agreed by EU leaders at a summit next week.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Germany will stand with Ireland every step of the way over Brexit. She was speaking following talks in Dublin with the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) about the current deadlock.
Politicians and campaigners should take care not to inflame tensions in the UK caused by Brexit, a senior police chief has warned. Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said people should think carefully to avoid inciting others to violence. The warning follows increased concern about intimidation of MPs.
The lower house of the British parliament on Wednesday approved legislation which would force Prime Minister Theresa May to seek a Brexit delay to prevent a potentially disorderly departure on Apr 12 without a deal.
The British government and the main opposition were to hold further crisis talks on Thursday after MPs voted in favour of a Brexit delay that would avoid Britain crashing out of the EU on Apr 12.
Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday she would ask the EU to delay Brexit again to avoid Britain crashing out of the bloc next week, signaling she could accept a closer relationship with Europe to break months of political deadlock.
Spanish bank Santander is expected to take a cautious stance on its British business in a strategy update on Wednesday, seeking to reassure investors after its aborted recruitment of former UBS banker Andrea Orcel as CEO.
Members of Parliament on Monday once again failed to find a majority on any alternative Brexit plan before them, leaving Britain's chaotic path towards leaving the EU mired in uncertainty less than two weeks before its departure date. Brussels has set Britain an Apr 12 deadline to agree to the divorce terms Prime Minister Theresa May has struck with the bloc, find an alternative or crash out of the European Union.
The petition calling on the UK Government to halt the Brexit process has passed six million signatures. The Revoke Article 50 petition, due to be debated by MPs this Monday, is the best-supported proposal in the history of the House of Commons and Government’s e-petitions website.