Emmanuel Macron: EU will not be held hostage by Brexit crisis

French president Emmanuel Macron has warned the UK the EU will not be held “hostage” over the continuing Brexit stalemate.

Speaking in Paris, Macron repeated the conclusions of the last EU summit that if the UK cannot present an alternative Brexit strategy by April 12, it will leave the bloc without a deal.

Standing alongside Macron, Irish PM Leo Varadkar insisted the EU has other matters to focus on besides Brexit, but leaders would be willing to assist with the UK if

The comments came while the UK cabinet were locked in a marathon meeting in Downing Street discussing the government’s next move after MPs rejected May’s deal for a third time on Friday – and also a range of other Brexit options on Monday evening.

Speaking about a ‘no deal’ Brexit, Macron said: “It belongs to the United Kingdom to present a credible alternative plan backed by a majority on 10 April in order to avoid it.

“Should the United Kingdom be unable to, three years after the referendum, enable to propose a solution backed by a majority they de facto will have chosen by themselves to leave without a deal.”

He added: “Our priority shall be the good functioning of the European Union and the Single Market. The European Union cannot sustainably be the hostage to the political crisis in the United Kingdom.”

Varadkar warned that the EU “shouldn’t be consumed by Brexit”, and the controversial withdrawal agreement “cannot be reopened”.

He added: “However, there’s still time for the Prime Minister to come to the European Council with proposals that are credible and have a clear pathway to success and I think we need to be open to any proposals that she may bring forward to us.”