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EU agrees to Brexit delay but ‘very unlikely’ to decide on extension before Tuesday

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Boris Johnson
TOPSHOT - Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street, central London on October 24, 2019, after taking a political Cabinet meeting. - The pound firmed against the dollar and euro on Wednesday as the European Union prepared to grant a further delay to Brexit, averting the prospect of Britain departing the bloc next week without a deal. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

EU leaders have agreed a Brexit delay, but will not make a decision on how long for until next week.

They are debating whether to extend the deadline date until 31 January or November. The latter is thought to be preferred by French President Emmanual Macron.

Read more: Said Javid admits 31 October Brexit deadline ‘can’t be met’

The European Commission said work on this would “continue in the coming days”.

But a senior EU official told Sky News it would be “very unlikely” the bloc makes a decision before Tuesday.

The UK is currently scheduled to leave the EU on Thursday.

The talks come after chancellor Sajid Javid admitted on Friday that the 31 October “can’t be met”.

He also told MPs that they should now back a general election following Jeremy Corbyn’s decision to opt for “more dither and more delay”.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was wanting on the EU to decide “what they want to do”

It is thought the government will table a motion on Monday for a general election to be held on 12 December.

However it appears unlikely to get the two-thirds majority needed with Labour yet to commit either way.

Leader Jeremy Corbyn said he would only agree to an election when Johnson had completely ruled out a no-deal Brexit “to my satisfaction”.

“My position is we’ve got to get no-deal taken off the table first,” he told ITV.

“Providing the Prime Minister comes to parliament on Monday and makes it absolutely clear he is going to make sure that there is no crash out – because his deal includes the possibility of a no-deal exit… if he comes on Monday and says that, then OK,” he added.

Read more: Brussels delays Brexit decision

Johnson, who has said his “preferred option” is a short Brexit delay to “say to 15 or 30 November”, has called on Corbyn to “man up” and agree to an election.

“Nobody will believe that the Labour Party is really going to allow Brexit to happen unless there is a deadline of an election on 12 December,” the Prime Minister said.