Brexit news latest: France warns Theresa May's request for delay could be vetoed if she cannot offer guarantees deal will pass
France has warned that Theresa May's request for a Brexit delay could be vetoed by the European Council if she cannot offer guarantees that her deal will be passed in Parliament
French Foreign Miniser Jean-Yves Le Drian told France's parliament Mrs May would need to make her case at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday.
"A situation in which Mrs May would not be able to present to the European Council sufficient guarantees about the credibility of her strategy would lead to the extension request being dismissed and opting for a no-deal exit," Mr Le Drian told lawmakers.
Mr Le Drian made the warning as the Prime Minister faces backlash from Europe after announcing her decision for a third vote on her deal and her request of a Brexit delay to June 30.
But French president Emmanuel Macron took a softer tone, saying he takes note of Mrs May's announcement in the Commons.
However, he warned that if a third vote fails, it would pave the way for the "undesirable outcome of no-deal".
He added: “A technical extension could be envisaged to complete legislative work in case of a deal. That's what Mrs May is asking for and will be discussed tomorrow at the European Council.”
However, a document seen by Reuters suggests the European Commission opposes extending the deadline to June 30.
"Any extension offered to the United Kingdom should either last until 23 May 2019 or should be significantly longer and require European elections," the document said.
"This is the only way of protecting the functioning of the EU institutions and their ability to take decisions."
This opinion was reflected by Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, who said Britain should leave the EU by the start of the European Parliament elections on May 23 if the country is not taking part.
An EU Commission official said Mr Juncker told the Prime Minister in a telephone call on Wednesday that "the withdrawal has to be complete before May 23," the first day of the European elections.
The official, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the situation, said that if the deadline comes later Mr Juncker warned Mrs May that "we face institutional difficulties and legal uncertainty."
He insisted EU elections would have to be held in Britain if a June 30 date was asked for. The 27 EU nations meeting in a summit Thursday need to back an extension to the deadline unanimously.
Mina Andreeva, deputy chief spokeswoman for the European Commission, also warned that Brexit had to be complete by May 23 or the UK would have to take part in European elections.
She said on Twitter: "@JunckerEU thinks it is good that @theresa-may sets out her thoughts ahead of EUCO; warned her in phone call against including a date for the extension that is after #EUelections2019.
"Brexit has to be complete before 23 May - otherwise EU elections 2019 have to be held in UK."
.@JunckerEU thinks it is good that @theresa_may sets out her thoughts ahead of #EUCO; warned her in phone call against including a date for the extension that is after #EUelections2019. #Brexit has to be complete before 23 May - otherwise #EUelections2019 have to be held in UK.
— Mina Andreeva (@Mina_Andreeva)
On Tuesday afternoon, Mrs May threatened to resign as Prime Minister if MPs demand a longer Brexit delay than June 30.
She said: “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 would be a failure to deliver on the referendum decision this House said it would deliver.
“I have therefore this morning written to President [Donald] Tusk ... informing him that the UK seeks an extension to the Article 50 period until June 30.”
Hinting she would quit if Parliament forced a longer delay, Mrs May added: “As Prime Minister, I am not prepared to delay Brexit any further than June 30.”
Mrs May’s close aides confirmed she was ready to resign if thwarted. Asked if she would quit, an official said: “You should infer from those words the strength of the PM's resolve and extent of her determination to deliver for the people.”
