As Theresa May heads to Brussels with the UK currently due to crash out of the EU without a deal on Friday, the Brexit endgame appears to be approaching, although it remains uncertain how the coming days will pan out.

What will happen in Brussels?

May will arrive at the emergency European council summit on Wednesday evening without a new plan to present, following the breakup of cross-party talks with Labour, which are not due to resume before Thursday. So she will be asking the EU27 for a brief extension until 30 June, but without any evidence a departure deal could be made in the intervening weeks.

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While some reports suggested EU leaders could agree to a brief delay, or even cut the UK loose on Friday, the consensus prediction is that May will be offered a longer extension to Brexit, perhaps until the end of 2019, or even for a year.

Isn’t May obliged to seek an extension anyway?

Yes. The backbench bill led by Labour’s Yvette Cooper, which came into law on Monday evening, says she must endeavour to avoid a no-deal departure by seeking an extension to article 50 as needed. During a House of Commons vote on Tuesday afternoon, MPs passed a motion telling May to do this by a majority of 310. But in practice this makes little difference, as the prime minister was planning to seek an extension anyway.

Play Video 0:34 MPs approve May's article 50 extension – video

Will May accept a longer extension?

The prime minister has previously said she “could not consider” a delay beyond 30 June, which would mean the UK having to participate in European parliament elections next month. But she might have little realistic choice, and her spokesman on Wednesday repeatedly refused to rule out a longer wait, saying only that No 10 was “focused on the date that the prime minister is seeking”.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Labour’s Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long-Bailey leave cross-party Brexit talks at the Cabinet Office in London. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

Will she have to seek the approval of parliament for a delay?

No – the Cooper bill was amended in the Lords so the prime minister maintains the prerogative power to unilaterally agree an extension, not least as the EU summit would have broken up by the time MPs said yes or no. But May does usually give a statement to the Commons after European summits, so one could happen on Thursday, or else next week.

Will we get European elections?

This seems increasingly likely, and will become a certainty in the event of a longer Brexit delay. Officials are preparing for them, with parties busy recruiting candidates. But the caveat remains that a sudden deal will see them called off.

Are the cross-party talks achieving anything?

It is very difficult to know. Both sides are still publicly praising the discussions as positive, even though Labour say they have yet to see any government compromise suggestions. The fact they will now not resume until Thursday indicates no breakthrough is imminent.

How are Conservative and Labour MPs feeling?

To oversimplify slightly: mutinous and nervous, respectively. On the Conservative side, party discipline has largely vanished, as shown by Tuesday’s motion on seeking an article 50 extension. Of the 420 MPs in favour, only 131 were Tories, despite it being a whipped vote, meaning May effectively relied on the opposition. Labour MPs are slightly less angst-ridden, but many are watching the cross-party talks warily in case Jeremy Corbyn and his team agree a deal without a plan for a confirmatory referendum.