Make your mind up! Barnier says May must present a ‘concrete plan’ and choose between a short delay or offer ‘something new’ for a long Brexit delay of up to TWO YEARS – or face No Deal

The EU‘s top Brexit negotiator has torn into Theresa May‘s attempt to keep her delay options open by suggesting she must present leaders this week with a clear idea how the UK wants to stay in.

Michel Barnier told reporters today that any longer extension to Article 50 would only be considered if there was ‘a new political process’ in the UK to justify it.

It came as reports suggested that Mrs May would ask EU leaders for a two-year delay, with an option to exit the EU by June if a deal was passed by Parliament.

This would allow her to woo Brexiteers into supporting a deal to get out in three months and avoid taking part in European elections in May.

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Mrs May (pictured today) reportedly wants the option of a two-year delay, with an option to exit by June if a deal was passed by Parliament, allowing her to woo Brexiteers into supporting a deal to get out in three months

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After meeting Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney (left) he warned that a long delay would increase ‘uncertainty’ and the UK could not ask for both that and a short extension, saying: ‘It’s one or the other, isn’t it?’

Stressing that it was ultimately a decision for EU27 leaders at the European Council meeting on Thursday, he said: ‘The EU authorities want to know what the underlying political process which would be the grounds for that extension would be – political process within the House of Commons or in the general political debate in the UK.’

Mr Barnier added: ‘It is our duty to ask whether this extension would be useful because an extension will be something which would extend uncertainty, and uncertainty costs.’

He added: ‘What would be the purpose and outcome? How could we be sure that at the end of a possible extension we are not back in the same situation as today?’

With just 10 days to go until the UK is due to leave the EU unless an extension to Article 50 is granted, he warned that ‘voting against no-deal does not prevent it from happening.’

He added: ‘Everyone should now finalise all preparations for no-deal scenario. On the EU side, we are prepared.’

Mrs May admitted Britain was in crisis today as a Cabinet meeting ended in recriminations amid claims she could ask the EU for a two-year delay to Brexit. 

Cabinet wrestled with what to do next for 90 minutes today in the aftermath of the bombshell ruling from the Commons Speaker that the PM could not bring back her deal unchanged for a new vote. 

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Mr Varadkar had to remind himself what day it was when Mr Tusk went to sign and date the visitor’s book at the Government Buildings in Dublin today

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May’s dilemma: PM’s delay options ahead of crunch Brussels trip 

Theresa May has a range of Brexit delay options she could ask for when she goes to the European Council on Thursday.

But with Europe apparently divided on what to give her there is no certainty she will get any of them at the moment.

Here are some of her options:

• April 11: Number 10 believes that the UK must leave on or before this date in order to avoid the £108million cost of taking part in the European Parliament elections in May.
• May 23: Some EU figures believe that the UK can leave at any time up until the elections start on May 23 without having to take part.
• June 30: This is Theresa May’s preferred shorter Brexit postponement option. The European Parliament sits for the first time on July 2 so any British MEPs elected in May would not take their seats.
• Nine months: The shorter version of the long extension of Article 50 as discussed by the cabinet this morning, with a caveat allowing the UK to sooner if a Brexit deal is passed by MPs.
• Twenty one months: The longer version of that same extension discussed at Cabinet with the same caveat about leaving earlier.
• Two years: The longest reported delay to Brexit being considered. This would be combined with the June 30 exit, allowing Mrs May to try to convince Brexiteers to pass a deal or be trapped until 2021.
• Zero: It’s highly unlikely but Mrs May could go to Brussels on Thursday and not ask for a delay to Brexit, meaning we would leave on March 29, most probably without a deal.

Mrs May warned John Bercow’s intervention had left Parliament a ‘laughing stock’ – and warned the risk to Brexit now meant it was ‘Parliament vs the People’, a Cabinet source said. 

The Prime Minister must now beg the EU for a delay to Brexit without one final push on her deal. 

She will write to EU Council President Donald Tusk before the summit on Thursday setting out what she wants.

Downing Street refused to comment today on what the letter will say or what Cabinet discussed in terms of delay.  No 10 sources denied a two-year extension was discussed.

But ministers are said to have split on how long to ask for. Commons Leader and Brexiteer Andrea Leadsom warned: ‘This used to be the Cabinet that would deliver Brexit and now from what I’m hearing it’s not.’

Of Mr Bercow’s intervention, Mrs May’s official spokesman said: ‘If you look back at the speech by the Prime Minister before meaningful vote two (MVII), she said that if MPs did not support MVII, we would be in a moment of crisis.

‘I think events yesterday tell you that situation has come to pass.’

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