British Prime Minister Theresa May will on Wednesday head to Brussels for an emergency meeting of the European Council at which other EU leaders are expected to extend the Brexit deadline.
May has requested to delay Britain’s EU departure from Friday till June 30, while European Council President Donald Tusk has proposed a flexible one-year extension.
Report says all EU leaders need to agree to a delay.
London needs time to broker parliamentary approval on a Brexit divorce deal negotiated with Brussels.
Britain’s EU departure has already been postponed from March 29.
“As a condition for any delay – either the shorter option sought by May or Tusk’s one-year `flextension’ – Britain will likely have to take part in EU elections in late May,’’ EU diplomats have said.
On Tuesday, lawmakers backed May’s plan to request an extension until June 30, voting by 420 to 110 in favour of a government motion.
The prime minister was forced to table the motion after parliament approved a cross-party bill the previous day that legally obliged her to avoid a no-deal Brexit and request a delay.
Britain’s parliament has rejected May’s withdrawal agreement three times but also failed to come up with a majority position on any other option.
Her government held more talks on Tuesday with the opposition Labour Party in a bid to break the impasse in parliament.
Labour lawmaker, Rebecca Long Bailey, told newsmen that the talks were “really constructive” and would continue on Wednesday.
Labour’s key demand is that Britain remains in a long-term customs union with the EU.
