Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks in Parliament, in London, Britain March 20, 2019, in this screen grab taken from video. Reuters TV via REUTERS

BERLIN (Reuters) - Theresa May’s request for a Brexit extension lacks meaning without the support of parliament and the European Union should not decide on it before this becomes clear, a senior member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives said.

“May just asked #EU for short #Brexit extension. But without backing by cabinet and parliament her request is meaningless,” German conservative Norbert Roettgen, who is head of the foreign affairs committee in Germany’s parliament, said on Twitter on Wednesday.

“EU leaders should defer decision until #UK presents an approved plan. EU cannot become accomplice of May’s internal tactical maneuvers,” he added.