- UK PM Theresa May under mounting political pressure
- The Guardian states that France, Spain, and Belgium are ready for a no-deal Brexit
- The future of the UK remains in the doldrums
According to a report published April 5, 2019, by The Guardian, France has now rallied support from Belgium and Spain after suggesting its readiness for a no-deal Brexit on April 12, under the circumstance that there are no fresh and meaningful British proposals until then.
Brexit Crisis Deepens
As previously reported by Blockchain Reporter, Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council (EC) suggested a 12-month “flextension” for the UK to decide on a Brexit withdrawal agreement. The plan is scheduled to be discussed among prominent EU leaders this coming week.
However, now with the reports of France, Spain, and Belgium running out of patience, the proposed 12-month extension runs the risk of being in jeopardy.
Citing EU27 meeting notes, The Guardian states that the French ambassador was able to win the confidence of Spanish and Belgian colleagues in arguing that there should only be, at most, a short article 50 extension to avoid an instant financial crisis, saying:
“We could probably extend for a couple of weeks to prepare ourselves in the markets.”
Theresa May’s hopes for Brexit proposal extension to June 30 suffered another lethal blow when an official statement by the French government reiterated its opposition to any further Brexit delay without any concrete plan in place.
As reported earlier, UK PM May on April 5, 2019, had written to Tusk asking for an extension for Brexit until June 30 while she engages in rallying cross-party support in the UK and come to a mutually agreeable way forward for the proposal.
Responding to May’s letter publically, France’s secretary of state for European affairs, Amélie de Montchalin, told The Guardian in a statement:
“The European Council took a clear decision on 21 March … Another extension requires the UK to put forward a plan with clear and credible political backing.”
Interestingly enough, the French ambassador displayed a stricter stance than Montchalin, reiterating that “there was no justification, and only danger, in extending the UK’s membership of the EU.”
