British Prime Minister Theresa May failed to reassure European Union leaders on Thursday that she can secure a deal at home next week on an orderly Brexit, diplomats said, prompting frantic talks on how to ease Britain out without a deal.[BRUSSELS] British Prime Minister Theresa May failed to reassure European Union leaders on Thursday that she can secure a deal at home next week on an orderly Brexit, diplomats said, prompting frantic talks on how to ease Britain out without a deal.
One option could see Britain lurch out in just three weeks, on April 12, unless it overcomes deep divisions to request a long extension that will involve taking part in EU elections on May 23. Another, if Mrs May succeeds in winning backing for a deal, would see it enter a post-EU transition on May 22.
If Mrs May fails, Britain could ask for a long delay - possibly, though not explicit, until at least the end of the year or much longer. But it could only get that if it holds its own EU election. Under UK law, that election must be announced six weeks beforehand, on April 12. If by then, it had failed to call an election, it would be ejected from the Union forthwith.
Leaders arrived in Brussels expecting to put off major decisions, assuring Mrs May of the"technical" extension if she won next week's vote but leaving hard decisions about what to do if she fails until a possible emergency summit before next Friday. Mr Macron told reporters before the meeting:"In the event of another 'no' vote in Britain, we will be heading towards a 'no- deal'. Everyone knows it."The 27 have shown remarkable unity on Brexit since Britons voted three years ago to leave. But the strain of deciding how to manage a"cliff edge" exit for the British economy brought the top leaders into animated discussion for the first time.
Mrs May said she was still working on support for her deal, which envisages negotiating a bespoke close relationship with the EU that keeps Britain outside its customs union or single market.