'The mood has hardened here in Brussels' tconnellyRTE with the latest on Brexit |
On arriving at an EU summit, Mrs May again said she wanted to leave the bloc with a deal and a short extension to the Article 50 two-year negotiating period would enable what is a deeply divide parliament to approve her deal.
Speaking in Brussels, Mr Varadkar said that nobody in the EU wanted Britain to leave the European Union without a deal, and that there was openness to an extension."We need to cut the entire British establishment a little bit of slack on this and support their request ... for a short extension. No deal will only ever be a British choice."
EU leaders are expected to grant the UK a short extension, but only on the condition that Westminster ratifies the Withdrawal Agreement next week. However, EU leaders are likely to attach a serious condition to the request - that it will only be granted if the UK parliament ratifies the treaty.European Council President Donald Tusk, who will chair the two-day summit, has suggested if that happens there could be another emergency summit right on the eve of the exit date.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4, he said: "If we are in the same situation this time next week then only a very limited list of things could happen: Parliament could vote to revoke Article 50, which is cancelling the Brexit process - I think that's highly unlikely...
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