13:32

The European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, is seeking to limit the Brexit delay until the 23 May, to avoid the possibility of the UK remaining a member state but without MEPs.

A spokesman said Juncker had in a call told the prime minister, who has set the 30 June as her preferred end date to an extension in her letter of request, that the British would need to have representatives in the European parliament if it stayed a member state into June. The spokesman said:

President Juncker said to the prime minister that he thinks it’s a good idea she sets out her thoughts to the leaders ahead of the EU Council. However, the president has clearly warned the prime minister against including a date for the extension that will be after the European parliament elections. That’s why he repeated in this call his advice, which he set out in his letter on March 11, that the withdrawal has to be complete before May 23, otherwise we risk facing institutional difficulties and legal uncertainty, given the European elections date. European elections have to be held if the extension date is beyond May 23. This is the position of the commission and this is what the president informed the prime minister again.

Earlier on Wednesday, a leaked letter circulated among the EU’s 28 commissioners reiterated Juncker’s position that the extension had to be limited if elections in Britain were to be avoided. (See 12.49pm.)