May has confirmed the UK is willing to contest the European elections in May
Theresa May has written to the European Union to formally request that Brexit is delayed until 30 June.
The move comes after parliament has repeatedly been unable to find a solution to the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Theresa May’s Brexit deal has twice failed to pass in the Commons and a series of indicative votes on Wednesday saw each option rejected.
At present, the country is due to leave the EU on 12 April without any agreed deal.
As part of the offer, May has said that the UK would be prepared to field candidates in the European Parliament elections on 23 May, although she hopes the Brexit process will be complete by that point.
Writing to European Council President Donald Tusk, she said: “The United Kingdom proposes that this period should end on 30 June 2019. If the parties are able to ratify before this date, the government proposes that the period should be terminated early.
“The government will want to agree a timetable for ratification that allows the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union before 23 May 2019 and therefore cancel the European Parliament elections, but will continue to make responsible preparations to hold the elections.”
The news comes as EU sources have reportedly said that Tusk was willing to offer the UK a year-long “flexible” Brexit extension.
The Prime Minister – now seemingly addicted to rejection – writes a letter to Donald Tusk asking for an extension of Article 50 to the end of June 2019. pic.twitter.com/iufYs3nE8Q
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) April 5, 2019
