Delaying Brexit to June 30 would have political risks: European Commission
Britain’s request to delay the Brexit deadline from March 29 to June 30 would bring "serious legal and political risks", says the European Commission.
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The announcement came in an internal briefing note ahead of an EU summit on Wednesday, after British Prime Minister Theresa May asked the bloc to delay the deadline.
It further urged EU leaders to urged leaders to choose between a short delay to May 23 or a longer one to "at least until end 2019".
May’s request for a three-month delay to Brexit comes amid a political deadlock in London over the UK’s decision to leave the European Union.
With only nine days left until the scheduled departure date, the divorce deal is blocked in political conflict between the parliament and the government of May.
In a PMQ session in parliament Wednesday, May asserted that the extension does not rule out a no-deal scenario at the end.
"If it is the case that there is an extension, this does not actually take no deal off the table. It leaves that as a point at the end of that extension," May told MPs.
Scottish National Party lawmaker Pete Wishart slammed May’s remarks, noting that she has “caved in to hard Brexiteers.”
"She has once again cravenly caved in to hard Brexiteers and will now only seek a short extension to Article 50, contrary to the expressed will of this House. When will she develop a backbone and stand to those that would take this nation to disaster? And as one of her ministers said this morning, referencing another feeble prime minister - weak, weak, weak."
The British premier responded by trying to "update the House on the forthcoming European Council and the issue of Article 50 extension."
"On Thursday, the House voted in favor of a short extension if the House had supported a meaningful vote before this week's European Council. The motion also made it clear that a longer extension would oblige the United Kingdom to hold elections to the European parliament," May said. "I do not believe that such elections would be in anyone's interest. The idea that three years after voting to leave the EU, the people of this country should be asked to elect a new set of MEPs is I believe unacceptable. It will be a failure to deliver on the referendum to deliver on the referendum decision that this House said it would honor."
