FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron is said to want to force Britain to leave the EU in just two weeks, as Brussels bickers over the length of yet another Brexit extension.
Yesterday the PM laid down the gauntlet to Jeremy Corbyn for a fresh election on December 12 to break the deadlock in Parliament – but only if they agree to debate his Brexit bill first, in the hope of passing it by November 6.
But the leftie boss appeared to be running scared yet again, saying his party would only vote for an election once an extension from the bloc is secured.
It comes as:
- EU ambassadors are meeting in Brussels this morning to discuss again the request to extend Article 50
- Boris vowed to hold DAILY election votes until the leftie Labour boss gives in
- Britain looks set to come within 48-hours of No Deal as Brussels delay giving us another Brexit extension until next week
- Jean Claude Juncker blasted Boris for “spreading lies” during the referendum campaign
France’s EU affairs minister said last night they would not want a long extension unless Parliament were to vote for an election.
She said: “If there are elections that are not just desired but announced, organised, then we will be able to take decisions. We need facts.”
The can could be kicked into next week now, after Monday’s election vote.
Mr Macron is said to be opposed to the three-month Brexit delay as he fears more dithering from politicians.
He wants a much shorter delay of around 15 days – to try and pressure Remainer MPs into backing the deal or face a No Deal Brexit.
EU diplomats told The Sun thatthe Labour leader’s decision could prompt leaders to put off a decision until Monday – after MPs vote on whether to hold an election.
One said: “I doubt we’ll get white smoke now. This plays right into Macron’s hands.
“We’ll still try to converge around three months but it’s likely more member states will now be sympathetic to the French position.”
Under “flextension” plans being drawn up, however, Britain would stay in the EU until January 31 and would leave sooner if MPs signed off the deal.
Some countries were even mulling adding a special clause authorising a November 15 exit in a bid to encourage Parliament to back the deal.
Germanyhad argued strongly in favour of the January 31 date, saying to choose any other would plunge the EU into the UK’s internal political debate.
CORB’S CHAOS
This morning Diane Abbott said they party would back an election call only after they see what kind of extension the EU offer.
She said:“The Labour Party is definitely up for an election, but there are two things we need to know.
“One is what sort of extension the EU is going to give and as you say we won’t know until Monday.”
And the other was to hear from Boris that No Deal was no longer an option.
She suggested that there may have be “legislation” to take the option off the table.
And she hit out at the December 12 date, saying it was a “ludicrous day” to hold a poll.
In an interview yesterday Mr Corbyn said: “Take no-deal off the table and we absolutely support a general election.
“I’ve been calling for an election ever since the last one because this country needs one to deal with all the social injustice issues – but No Deal must be taken off the table.”
Corbyn insisted he had to wait for the EU to agree to the extension before he backed an election.
He added: “Tomorrow the European Union will decide whether there’s going to be an extension or not.
“That extension will obviously encompass whether there’s a no-deal or not. Let’s find that out tomorrow.”
But Labour has already ordered its MPs to abstain from a vote on an election on Monday – effectively blocking one.
It needs 434 MPs to push an election through, which would leave Boris considerably short.
Around half of the Labour Party’s MPs have told party whips they won’t vote for an early election for fear of losing their seats.
One source said: If he’s stupid enough to give Boris an election now we are going to get smashed.
NO BREXIT ON OCTOBER 31
It came as Chancellor Sajid Javid confirmed for the first time that Britain won’t be leaving on October 31.
MPs effectively killed off any chance of that by voting down the PM’s timetable for his Brexit bill earlier this week.
The Chancellor said this morning: “We now have to accept that we won’t be able to leave on October 31 because Parliament has requested an extension.
“We have to assume they will offer a three month extension.”
And he vowed that the Government would keep bringing forward election votes until Mr Corbyn gives in and backs one.
He told the BBC: “The Opposition have said, week after week, that if there is a delay of three months, which is what they requested through Parliament, then they will vote for a general election, so let’s see if they keep their word.
“And if they don’t then we will keep bringing back to Parliament a motion to have an election.
“And we will keep doing that again and again.”
No10 warned last night that the PM could refuse to bring forward any legislation to Parliament either, effectively blocking anything from happening.
As EU capitals paved the way for our exitJean-Claude Juncker last night branded claims that Britain doesn’t belong in the bloc “bull****”.
The outgoing Commission chief accused Boris Johnson of “spreading lies” duringthe referendumcampaign, saying he should have intervened.
He said: “I dont think that Brexit is in the interest of Britain or the EU. All of us will pay the price.”
But in a speech to a think tank inBrusselshe moaned: “I have spent too much time with Brexit. It is enough now.”
