EU says Brexit extension depends on developments in UK

LONDON

The European Union will decide whether to accept the U.K. request for the further extension to the Brexit deadline in light of developments in London, the European Council president said on Tuesday.

Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, Donald Tusk said the EU should be ready for all scenarios.

“I am consulting the leaders on how to react, and will decide in the coming days,” Tusk said.

“It is obvious that the result of these consultations will very much depend on what the British parliament decides, or doesn’t decide,” he added.

Tusk hailed the revised Brexit deal, saying avoiding border checks in the island of Ireland would “ensure the integrity of the single market.”

“The revised deal was possible and acceptable to the EU because: firstly, it had the support of Ireland; secondly, it had the support of the European commission, ensuring that all our negotiating objectives were met; and thirdly, because it avoids a chaotic no-deal Brexit,” he said.

Although the situation is “quite complex” following events over the weekend in the U.K., and the British request for an extension of the Article 50 process,” Tusk said, “but one thing must be clear: as I said to Prime Minister [Boris] Johnson on Saturday, a no-deal Brexit will never be our decision.”

In an attempt to have the revised deal passed the House of Commons, Johnson brought the new deal to the parliament on Saturday but it was amended by the votes of the opposition MPs and the Tory government’s de facto partners the Democratic Unionist Party. According to the amendment, Brexit deadline needs to be extended until the necessary legislation is passed.

Also speaking on Tuesday, the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker described Brexit “a waste of time and a waste of energy.”

“I will always regret the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the EU but at least we can look at ourselves in the eye and say we have done all in our power to ensure that this departure is orderly,” he said.

The British government on Tuesday is bringing the EU Withdrawal Bill to parliament for a debate in an effort to meet their pledge to leave the EU on Oct. 31.

The move came after the government’s repeated failures to convince at least 320 MPs to back a revised Brexit deal.

On Monday, outgoing Parliament Speaker John Bercow blocked a “meaningful vote” on Johnson’s revised Brexit deal, saying it would be “repetitive and disorderly.”

The government said it would publish the bill soon after the vote was blocked and later published the bill.

Johnson sent an “unsigned” letter to the EU to request an extension -- as he was forced by the previous legislation, known as the Benn Act -- but also sent a second, signed letter saying an extension would cause delay to Brexit and he did not want it.

The government will now try to complete all the parliamentary stages of the EU Withdrawal Bill and seek approval from the House this week.