British Prime Minister Boris Johnson would seek an extension to the Oct. 31 Brexit deadline if no withdrawal deal with the European Union is reached by mid-October, according to a document read aloud in a Scottish court Friday.
Johnson had said publicly he would not ask the EU for an extension
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson would seek an extension to the Oct. 31 Brexit deadline if no withdrawal deal with the European Union is reached by mid-October, according to a document read aloud in a Scottish court Friday.
The document a lawyer quoted from in Scotland’s Court of Session indicated Johnson intends to comply with a law passed by Parliament that would require him to ask the EU for a postponement if no deal is in place by Oct. 19.
Lawyer Jo Maugham, who represents legislators and activists trying to make sure Johnson observes the law, said that he and others read from a British government submission that included the statement, “he [Johnson] will send a letter in the form set out.”
Christopher Pincher, Britain’s minister for Europe, said Friday that he hopes European Union leaders come in a “fair spirit” to talks on the Brexit deal proposal Johnson submitted this week. Otherwise, the country will leave the bloc at the end of the month without an agreement.
Pincher called the new proposal “a good, fair and reasonable compromise” that presents a “broad landing zone” for talks that would enable the U.K. to leave the bloc in an “orderly and friendly way.”
EU leaders: Johnson’s deal falls short
Key European leaders have already said they think the measures Johnson has proposed fall far short of the concessions needed to forge a deal.
Britain’s new Brexit proposal could “at best” form the basis for further discussions, but many questions still remain, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Friday.
“These proposals raise many questions, and we will have to discuss them,” Rutte said. “We can’t simply say ‘yes’ to them.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesperson is welcoming the new deal, but notes that Johnson is describing it as “an opening offer.”
Steffen Seibert said Merkel spoke with Johnson by phone on Wednesday, but Seibert stressed that negotiations are a matter for the EU’s executive commission.
Seibert said that Britain making a proposal is “an important step,” though he added that Johnson “has himself underlined the fact that this is an opening offer.”
Seibert said that an agreement “must preserve the integrity of the single market, [it] must be operable and it must avoid a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.”
Seibert reiterated that a no-deal Brexit “is in no one’s interest,” but preparations are underway for that outcome.
‘Good reason’ needed for extension
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he thinks EU members would contemplate delaying Brexit if the U.K. government gave a “good reason” for seeking another extension.
Varadkar said Friday that if the U.K. makes such a request, “I think we would consider that.”
However, Varadkar qualified his prediction.
He said “most EU countries would only consider it for a good reason,” adding his “preference is that we come to an agreement.”
The border between Ireland and Northern Ireland has been a stumbling block in the talks. Johnson proposed a compromise that has received mixed reviews from other EU nations.