two weeks’ reprieve, until April 12, before Britain could lurch out of the EU if she fails to persuade lawmakers to back the withdrawal treaty she concluded with Brussels.
After May left the room, and with French President EmmanuelMacron pitching a surprise ultimatum for Britain to be out, dealor no deal, by May 7 — the eve of a summit on the EU’spost-Brexit future the meeting plunged into frantic debate. “The UK government will still have a choice between a deal, no deal, a long extension or revoking Article 50 ,” he told a news conference.
Many in London doubt that, not least after she offended many lawmakers on Wednesday by publicly blaming them for the deadlock. She tried to soften those remarks somewhat on Thursday. “It did not go well,” said one EU official familiar with the talks. “They basically realised that she doesn’t really believe it herself. They don’t want to be seen to be forcing the Brits out now. But they are looking for ways to end the agony.”
May’s opponents at home range from hard-core Brexit supporters who say her deal gives the EU too much influence in Britain to others, inside and outside her own Conservative party, who would prefer to stay much closer to the EU or cancel Brexit.