EU ultimatum to May: you can only delay Brexit if deal is passed

Gary Gibbon-20 Mar 2019Political Editor

Theresa May has ruled out a long extension to Brexit while she is Prime Minister.

In angry exchanges at Prime Minister’s Questions, she told MPs that they had indulged themselves on Brexit for too long and that she would never agree to a delay that meant holding European Parliamentary elections.

Instead she has asked the European Council for a delay until the end of June.

The European Council President Donald Tusk responded by saying he thought a short extension was possible, but only if MPs vote for her deal next week.

With those two ultimatums on the table, MPs’ choices in next week’s vote appear to be narrowing rapidly.