Donald Tusk says a short delay to Brexit is possible – but only if Theresa May’s deal gets through parliament next week.

The prime minister’s Withdrawal Agreement has been rejected by MPs twice and House of Commons speaker John Bercow blocked her from bringing the deal back for a third vote earlier this week.

The European Council president said in a speech in Brussels today a ‘short extension’ to Article 50 should be possible, ‘conditional’ upon a positive vote in the UK Parliament.

European Council President Donald Tusk said EU will only agree to a Brexit delay if Theresa May’s deal passes (Picture: AP)

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Tusk said: ‘In the light of the consultations that I have conducted over the past days, I believe that a short extension would be possible.


Government fails to answer if casual sex is illegal under new coronavirus rules

‘But it would be conditional on a positive vote on the Withdrawal Agreement in the House of Commons.



‘The question remains open as to the duration of such an extension.’

This comes after May requested a three-month delay to Brexit, postponing the UK’s departure from the European Union from 29 March to 30 June.

Tusk added: ‘At this time, I do not foresee an extraordinary European Council.

The prime minister’s deal has been heavily defeated by MPs twice (Picture: PA)

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

‘If the leaders approve my recommendations and there is a positive vote in the House of Commons next week, we can finalise and formalise the decision on extension in the written procedure.

‘However, if there is such a need, I will not hesitate to invite the members of the European Council for a meeting to Brussels next week.’

Bercow ruled that May cannot bring her EU agreement back before MPs unless it is substantially different from the package which was decisively defeated – twice.

However, Tusk said that negotiations between the EU and the UK won’t be reopened.

Mr Tusk added: ‘Although Brexit fatigue is increasingly visible and justified, we cannot give up seeking until the very last moment a positive solution – of course, without opening up the Withdrawal Agreement.

Tusk said negotiations between the EU and the UK won’t be reopened (Picture: AP)

Even if the hope for final success may seem frail, even illusory, and although Brexit fatigue is increasingly visible and justified, we cannot give up seeking – until the very last moment – a positive solution. #euco — Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) March 20, 2019

‘We have reacted with patience and goodwill to numerous turns of events and I am confident that also now we will not lack the same patience and goodwill at this most critical point in this process.’

Sunak weighs up possible furlough replacements amid mass unemployment fears

The prime minister was told politicians during today’s Prime Minister’s Questions: ‘I’m opposed to a long extension. I don’t want a long extension.

‘The outcome would be endless hours and days of this house carrying on contemplating its navel on Europe and failing to address the issues that matter to our constituents – schools and houses and security and jobs.’

The PM made the request in a letter to Mr Tusk exactly 1,000 days after the 2016 referendum which delivered a 52%-48% majority to quit the EU.

May’s deal was defeated by a majority of 149 votes in March, while it was rejected by a majority of 230 in January.

Got a story for Metro.co.uk? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.