Brussels: EU members delayed a decision Friday on how long to postpone next week´s Brexit deadline, giving British Prime Minister Boris Johnson space to push for an early general election.Senior diplomats told AFP they would reconvene on Monday or Tuesday next week, thus perhaps fewer than 72 hours before Britain is set to break away from the bloc. Johnson is struggling to call an election he hopes will give him a majority to pass the divorce deal he struck with EU leaders last week.But the British opposition wants to know whether Europe will agree to delay departure before agreeing to a snap poll — and October 31 remains the official deadline.After what EU negotiator Michel Barnier said were “excellent discussions”, European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said work among member states “will continue in coming days”. Senior European diplomats who attended the meeting confirmed the 27 non-British members had agreed in principle that some kind of delay is in order.They also agreed that their capitals could decide on its length by written procedure, rather than by holding a leaders´ crisis summit in Brussels next week. But, with France pushing for a shorter delay to keep the pressure on Westminster, and Germany and Ireland backing a three-month pause until January 31, the decision is not done.“Depending on how things evolve in the UK, we´ve given ourselves until the start of next week,” a senior diplomat said. “It´s clear that if a decision is taken in the UK on whether or not to hold an election — the date of the election will weigh on the consultations,” he said. But he needs a two-thirds majority in the current parliament in order to approve a poll and the British opposition is split, with some holding out for a second referendum on Brexit itself.“Take ‘no deal’ off the table and Labour will absolutely support an election,” main opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said, suggesting a long delay must be guaranteed before a vote.Johnson’s government, meanwhile, has scrapped plans to present its new budget next month, with Javid arguing that it had been planned with the October 31 departure date in mind.
10-26-2019, 01:52 PM
EU keeps Britain guessing on length of Brexit lifeline
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