Brexit latest: EU considers delay after Boris Johnson tables election vote
The European Union will today discuss a new Brexit delay after Boris Johnson tabled a dramatic third attempt to secure a general election in a Commons vote expected on Monday.
With only a week to go before the scheduled October 31st deadline, Johnson yesterday demanded a 12th December vote to break the paralysis gripping British politics.
Read more: Boris Johnson launches bid for Christmas election
EU officials will meet in Brussels to discuss the length of a new delay, with the choice expected to be between a further three months or a two-tier “flextension”.
A draft decision by the EU 27 said that the delay would be granted “with the view to allowing for the finalisation of the ratification” of the divorce agreement agreed last week.
While the draft text leaves the new date blank, it allows for departure to happen earlier if Parliament endorses the deal quicker than expected.
It read: “Consequently, the withdrawal should take place on the first day of the month following the completion of the ratification procedure, or on (blank), whichever is earliest.”
The EU warned that continuing deadlock in London might prevent them from taking a decision today. An official said:
“It’s unclear if a decision can be taken [today]. Some might want to see the result of the early election motion.”
Speaking to LBC, Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid said that if Labour does not support Monday’s vote, Tories would “continue to ask for a general election and bring a vote again and bring a vote again.”
When pressed on claims that the government would go on strike if the poll was rejected, Javid said: “Let’s see what happens on Monday. That’s your word, not mine.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he would wait to see what the EU decided on a Brexit delay before deciding which way to vote on Monday.
He repeated that he could only back an election when the risk of a no-deal exit had been taken off the table.
Read more: December may not turn out to be the Brexit election after all
Other Labour MPs rejected the move outright. Walthamstow’s Stella Creasy told Channel 4 that “we’re not going to support” the motion.
The Liberal Democrats and the SNP also suggested that they would not vote for the election, which would leave Johnson short of the two-thirds majority needed for a December ballot.
An EU source said: “If there are elections in the UK, it is clear to everybody that we need to give Britain a long extension.”
Main image credit – Getty