Brexit could be delayed until 2021, EU senior officials reveal

Donald Tusk is said to favour extending the negotiating period if the House of Commons continues to reject Theresa May’s deal.

Recent reports suggest that Brexit could be delayed until 2021 under plans being explored by the EU’s most senior officials, at a time of continued frustration over Theresa May’s handling of the negotiations. According to The Guardian, a lengthy extension of the negotiating period is said by a number of European Union sources to be favoured by Donald Tusk, the European council president, should the House of Commons continue to reject May’s deal. As it stands, the deadline for when Britain has to leave the EU is 29 March of this year, but this recent development suggests that it could be delayed by up to two years. The EU is also said to be determined to avoid offering the UK a short extension, only to have to revisit it again in the summer. One unnamed EU diplomat had this to say about the possibility of the deadline extending: "If leaders see any purpose in extending, which is not a certainty given the situation in the UK, they will not do a rolling cliff-edge but go long to ensure a decent period to solve the outstanding issues or batten down the hatches." Theresa May is yet to make a response to these reports.