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.
European Council President Donald Tusk has said he will appeal to EU leaders “to be open to a long extension” of the Brexit deadline, if the UK needs to rethink its strategy and get consensus. His intervention came as UK MPs voted to seek a delay of the 29 March deadline to leave the EU. EU leaders meet in Brussels on 21 March and they would have the final say.
Theresa May says she has secured legally binding changes to her Brexit deal, a day ahead of MPs voting on it. But European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned if the deal was voted down there was no third chance. They spoke at a joint press conference in Strasbourg after a late meeting.
The UK has been urged to table fresh proposals within the next 48 hours to break the Brexit impasse. EU officials said they would work non-stop over the weekend if acceptable ideas were received by Friday to break the deadlock over the Irish backstop.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said she held “constructive” talks in Brussels on Wednesday as she sought concessions on Brexit from a sceptical European Union, her strategy further battered by the defection of three lawmakers.
Theresa May will return to Brussels on Wednesday to continue talks on her Brexit deal. She will meet the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker. Earlier, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay updated Cabinet on talks with the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier.
United States President Donald Trump has promised European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that he will not impose additional import tariffs on European cars for the time being, Juncker was quoted in a published interview as saying on Monday.
Theresa May has written to all 317 Tory MPs, urging them to unite behind a Brexit deal while warning them history will judge us all over the process. Efforts will resume this Monday to persuade the EU to agree changes to the backstop plan to prevent the return of customs checks on the Irish border.
British Prime Minister Theresa May came away from a day in an increasingly impatient Brussels on Thursday with a pledge of renewed talks that held out some hope for a new Brexit deal, if no sign of compromise yet. Ms May is scheduled to fly to Dublin this Friday.
European Council President Donald Tusk has spoken of a “special place in hell” for “those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan of how to carry it out safely”. He was speaking after talks with Irish leader Leo Varadkar in Brussels.Brexit-backing MPs reacted with anger to the comments, accusing Mr Tusk of “arrogance”.