May to ask EU for Brexit extension as UK slides into political 'crisis'

Theresa May believes the UK has slid into political crisis, her spokesman said, as he confirmed she would be writing to EU leaders to request a delay to Brexit.

The prime minister’s plan to bring her Brexit deal back to parliament for a third meaningful vote, before EU leaders gathered on Thursday, was thrown into chaos on Monday, when the House of Commons Speaker, John Bercow, said parliamentary convention meant it would be unacceptable for another vote to be held on an unchanged deal.

May could still hold another vote on her deal, says Brexit secretary Read more

“The prime minister will be writing to Donald Tusk, the president of the European council, before the European council begins, in relation to an extension,” the spokesman said.

He declined to say how long a delay she would request, or for what purpose, simply insisting, “you’re going to have to wait for that letter to be published”.

Asked whether May agreed with the solicitor general, Robert Buckland, who described the situation after Bercow’s ruling on Monday as a “constitutional crisis”, her spokesman said: “If you were to look back at the speech the prime minister gave, just before meaningful vote two, she said that if MPs did not support meaningful vote two we would be in a crisis.

“Events yesterday tell you that that situation has come to pass.”

Q&A What does the Speaker's ruling on a third meaningful vote mean? Show Hide Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow ruled on 18 March that he would not allow parliament another vote on the same Brexit deal. Prime minister Theresa May would have to make 'substantial' changes to her government's two previous attempted to pass the withdrawal agreement deal with the EU. Bercow said: "If the government wishes to bring forward a new proposition that is neither the same nor substantially the same as that disposed of by the House on March 12, this would be entirely in order. What the government cannot legitimately do is resubmit to the house the same proposition - or substantially the same proposition - as that of last week, which was rejected by 149 votes. This ruling should not be regarded as my last word on the subject. It is simply meant to indicate the test which the government must meet in order for me to rule that a third meaningful vote can legitimately be held in this parliamentary session." Photograph: Reuters Tv/X00514

Cabinet ministers discussed Brexit for about 90 minutes on Tuesday morning, he said. He declined to confirm whether they had agreed on the length of the article 50 extension request, or whether cabinet had signed off on a draft of the letter.

Asked whether ministers would be allowed to advocate alternative approaches, as they did during last week’s free vote on extending article 50, he said: “The letter will set out the position of the British government.”

Cabinet ministers, including the Brexit secretary, Steve Barclay, and leader of the house, Andrea Leadsom, voted against the government’s motion calling for an extension in last week’s vote, despite Barclay having spoken in favour of it from the dispatch shortly beforehand.

Any change to exit day would have to be agreed by parliament, he conceded, as 29 March was specified in the EU Withdrawal Act.

“There would be a requirement to change the date in the Withdrawal Act and there would have to be a statutory instrument which would have to be approved in both Houses of Parliament.”

Ministers promised during last week’s Brexit debate that if no deal was agreed by parliament this week, they would hold a debate next Monday about what process could be used to find a consensus on alternatives.

Many MPs, including those pressing for a closer future relationship with the EU, interpreted that as a promise of so-called indicative votes, to identify whether a majority might exist for another approach.

Barclay insisted on Tuesday the prime minister might still be able to hold another vote on her Brexit deal if she agreed the terms of an article 50 extension with the EU, believing that would satisfy Bercow’s objections.

A long extension would mean the UK spending more than £100m on participating in European parliamentary elections.