The MEP blasted the European Parliament after Mrs May’s Brexit deadline was extended to October 31 saying the Conservative and Labour parties will only run down the clock again. He said: “I fear most it will import the Brexit mess into the European Union and moreover it will poison the upcoming European elections. “The Conservatives and Labour will do what they have already done and that is run down the clock.
“The proof of this was that the first thing that after last week’s decision was to go on holidays.
“I never thought I would I say this in this parliament but maybe the only thing that can save us is Nigel Farage.
“As you will hear today he is already campaigning.”
The comments come after Germany’s foreign minister has questioned whether or not the UK really wants to leave the European Union – a week after extending the Brexit deadline to October 31.
Heiko Maas said asking for another extension would show the UK secretly wants to stay in the EU. His harsh criticism comes he said the UK will also not be granted another extension past October. He said: “Another extension could send the signal that they plan to stay in the EU after all.”
Mr Maas added: “They will have to decide what they want by October.
“You cannot drag out Brexit for a decade.”
Last week, the EU gave Theresa May an extension to get Brexit over the line by October 31 with her MPs after failing to meet the original March 29 deadline.
This has left MPs furious as it means the UK will now have to stand in the upcoming European Parliament elections next month.
MEP Verhofstadt has thrown his support behind Nigel Farage (Image: GETTY/EPA)
European Council president Donald Tusk only accepted the extension with the promise the UK would “continue it sincere cooperation” as a member state – including taking part in the elections in May.
Mr Maas told the Financial Times it would be absurd if the Mrs May failed to get her Withdrawal Agreement through the Commons before next month.
He said: “Just think about it: You say you want to leave Europe and then you hold a European Parliament election.”
Meanwhile in the UK, Parliament is in recess for the Easter holiday.
Talks between the Government and Labour are said to be continuing to find a Brexit agreement that will be acceptable to MPs.
The EU has insisted the terms of the UK’s withdrawal, which has already been rejected three times by MPs, cannot be renegotiated.
However, there is potential to strengthen the political declaration, a document setting out the parameters of the UK’s future relations with the EU, ahead of the new Brexit deadline.
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11.18am update: Mr Corbyn weighs on Mr Farage’s comments from the European Parliament
Mr Corbyn said he former Ukip leader is not the answer because the UK needs to have a relationship with the EU regardless of how the country leaves.
He said: “We have a major trading partnership with Europe and all Farage is offering is some kind of never-never-land, saying we’ll walk away from everything.
“Well, he should say that to those people whose jobs would be at risk in manufacturing industries and food processing industries.
“He should say that to those people who are really going to suffer as a result of this.
“We’re serious about having a trading relationship with Europe. We’re serious about our relationship with the rest of the world. I’m not sure he is.”
Asked whether the Party was a risk to Labour and Conservative in the European elections, he said: “We will fight the elections as a party that is committed to that relationship with Europe but above all it’s about uniting people however they voted in 2016, they’re suffering from austerity.”
11.10am update: Jeremy Corbyn insists the UK musts remain in EU customs union
When asked if there had been progress on Brexit in talks between the Government and the Labour Party, Mr Corbyn reinforced that the future relationship with Europe had to be one where there was a customs union.
He said: “There has to be access to European markets and above all there has to be a dynamic relationship to protect the conditions and rights that we’ve got for environment and consumer workplace rights.
“We’ve put those cases very robustly to the Government and there’s no agreement as yet, we’ve put the case, we’ve had quite interesting, quite long technical discussions particularly on environment regulations.”
He added: “The Government doesn’t appear to be shifting the red lines because they’ve got a big pressure in the Tory party that actually wants to turn this country into a deregulated low-tax society which will do a deal with Trump.
“I don’t want to do that.”
Mr Corbyn said the talks were continuing.
He added: “We’ve lost a lot of time by the dithering of the Government on bringing issues to Parliament.”
11.02am update: Polling expert suggests Farage’s Brexit Party will not succeed in European Parliament election
Sir John Curtice suggested the Brexit Party and Ukip combined may fail to secure a substantial majority at the European elections despite the growing dissent toward Theresa May for her decision to further extend Brexit.
Sir John Curtice said recent polls suggest Conservative voters are considering throwing their support behind the newly-founded Brexit Party and Ukip in response to the latest delay to Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union.
But despite the frustration many Brexiteers have expressed toward Theresa May, Sir John pointed out there is an “even split” between the two parties – suggesting neither will secure a majority at the upcoming European parliamentary elections.
Jeremy Corbyn has insisted the UK’s future relationship with the EU is to be part of a customs union (Image: GETTY)
10.49am update: European Parliament to hold ‘extraordinary session’ if Mrs May gets Brexit deal through
Members of European Parliament will race back to Brussels for a crunch session to ratify the PM’s Withdrawal Agreement if the UK passes it between now and July, a spokesman said.
If the deal is approved by Parliament before July 2, which is when the new European Parliament is due to start, there would be “the possibility, if necessary, of having an extraordinary session,” Parliament spokesman Jaume Duch told reporters.
MEPs are meeting for the last time this week before the elections next month.
If Mrs May’s deal passes before the new European Parliament is due to sit then the MEPs who have positions in the current Parliament will have to come back to ratify the deal.
10.31am update: Top Tories prepping theirs bids to replace Mrs May
Days after the PM went on a walking holiday to Wales three top Tories threw their name in the hat as her successor.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson are three potentiall successors.
Mr Javid said during a personal speech about his tough upbringing saying nobody’s future should be “predetermined” by where they were born or brought up.
Mr Hunt told colleagues not to get “sidetracked” by debating the PM’s future because it is necessary to focus on Brexit.
Mr Johnosn said after the UK gets through Brexit a “pent-up tide of Tory ideas” would flood the UK.
10.20am update: Nancy Pelosi meet Irish topremier Leo Varadkar in Dublin today
The US Speaker of the House meet Taoiseach to discuss a range of topics including Brexit.
She wil also visit Northern Ireland later thsi week.
Yesterday she said there would be “no chance whatsoever” of a post-Brexit trade deal between the US and US if the Good Friday Agreement is weakened as a result of Brexit.
Speaking at the London School of Economics, she said that the accord was a model that could not be bargained away in another agreement.
Speaking ahead of the visit Mr Varadkar said: “It’s an honour to welcome the delegation from the US Congress to Ireland.
“This visit is more evidence of the deep and historic ties between our two countries and is a good opportunity to further deepen US-Ireland bilateral relations.
“We will discuss a range of issues including trade, visas, immigration and Brexit.”
Donald Tusk has defended his reasons for granted the UK an extension delivering Brexit (Image: GETTY)
10.05am update: Brexiteer MP outlines how Mrs May could resign
Meanwhile back in the UK, MP Andrew Bridgen insisted the mere threat of another vote on MPs’ confidence in the PM would be enough to force her to step down.
Mr Bridgen, who called for Theresa May to resign, told talkRADIO: “If Theresa May were to stand down, and I think we will change the rules of the 1922 committee, I don’t think we will have to necessarily have the vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister.
“I think that the mere threat that there will be another vote should be enough to persuade her that now is the time to stand down.”
TalkRADIO host Julia Hartley-Brewer replied: “So, just to clarify, you think you will be able to remove Theresa May within the month of May?”
In response, the Tory MP outlined his despair at the prospect of Mrs May continuing to lead the country and said: “I was hoping that May would end before April this year.”
9.52am update: Cracks begin to appear between EU leaders
Cracks in the European Union’s united front are set to show as leaders face a battle on how to tackle the UK’s deparatrure.
conomist Richard Wellings, the Acting Research Director at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said the EU should not be treated as a single voice as he warned the divide will begin to show as the Brexit deadline approaches.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mr Wellings said: “There have been some groups that have been more amenable to the UK position within the EU elite while others, I think, have been semi keen on getting rid of the UK in the sense that the UK was often a break on the centralisation plans and giving more and more powers to Brussels.
“At the same time, those people don’t actually want the UK to be completely free of the EU institutions and they don’t want to give the UK the opportunity to make a big success of Brexit because in the long-term that would essentially encourage other member states to leave. Though, it would be more difficult for most of those.”
9.40am update: Tusk defends why he granted the UK the extension until October 31
Many MEPs criticised Tusk for giving Mrs May a second Brexit extension today, citing it will only bog the EU down more.
He hit back during the European Parliament session this morning saying it makes room for Article 50 to be revoked by the Government.
Mr Tusk urged Brussels twice to not treat the UK as a second-class member of because Brexit could be delayed once again. He told the European Parliament there could be British MEPs for “many months or maybe longer”.
He told MEPs Britain could use the extra time to “to help facilitate the ratification, the EU27 is ready to reconsider the political declaration on the future relationship if the UK position were to evolve”.
He added: “Only a long extension keeps all options remain on the table, such as ratification of current agreement or extra time to rescind Brexit if that were the wish of the British people.
9.26am update: Farage brands Mrs May’s begging for an extension ‘humiliating’
The leader of his new-formed Brexit Party told the pariiament seeing Mrs May beg for an extension twice in two weeks was “humiliating not just for the country but for the commonwealth and America”.
He said he hopes the UK leaves on October 31, but is not optimisitic.
Mr Farage said: “I hope we leave on October 31 but if it is left to this appalling prime minister and our politicians in parliament i know its not going to happen.
“I know i have criticised the bureaucrats in the Brussels but this is not your fault.
“Your position has been clear from the beginning.”
He also defiantely told the room that if a deal is passed through the commons before the European Parliament elections that his party will win the next General Election.
Mr Farage said: “if that happens the Brexit party won’t win the European elections but will win the General Election because the betrayal will be so complete.”
US Democrat Nancy Pelosi warned the UK they would not have a trade if Brexit hindered the Good Frida (Image: GETTY)
9.00am update: MEP Guy Verhofstadt throws his support behind Nigel Farage
Mr Verhofstadt accused the Conservative and Labour parties for running down the clock on Brexit.
He told the European Parliament: “The proof of this was that the first thing that after last week’s decision was to go on holidays.
“I never thought I would I say this in this parliament but maybe the only thing that can save us is Nigel Farage.
“As you will hear today he is already campaigning.”
Mr Verhofstadt furiously told said he is disappointed Mrs May was allowed to leave Brussels last week with an extension for six months.
He said the problem is the date doesn’t allow for any substanial “rethink if Brexit” and it is also at the same time “too far away to prompt any action”.
He added: ” I fear that it will continue the uncertainty and it will prolong indecision.
“And I fear most it will import the Brexit mess into the European Union and moreover it will poison the upcoming European elections.
“I fear with this decision we will struggle to come to a cross-party agreement.”
8.40am update: EU should respect UK MEPs, Tusk says ahead of European Parliament elections
The President of the European Council told the European Parliament that the UK will not be treated as a “second-class member of the EU”.
Junker said during parliament this morning that the EU27 should have a right to meet without the UK while it remains a member of the EU.
He added the UK deserves the space to get Brexit through their Parliament.
Theresa May has been granted a Brexit extension to October 31 (Image: GETTY)
8.30am update: EU will not kick the UK out, Juncker says
Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU will never kick out a fellow member state this morning while addressing the European Parliament this morning.
The European Commission President said he and other negotiators are focusing on a positive agenda for Brexit.
He added that it was not a “working assumption” that Brexit will be extended past October 31 or that it will be reversed.
Mr Juncker said he is preparing for a No deal Brexit, but said there is nothing to gain from the UK leaving withouth a deal.
He said: “The only people who have anything to gain are those who seek to disrupt the global legal order.”
Mr Juncker has said when the UK leaves the EU is entirely in London’s hands.
8.21am update: No deal Brexit back on the table as PM issues warning
Mrs May has told civil servants that planning to leave the EU without a deal “must continue”.
It comes after backlash over the Government’s decision move away from planning for the “worst-case scenario”.
The PM told Whitehall staff there needs to be “sensibly adjusted” timetable while continuing on with the “necessary preparations”.
After the PM was granted a Brexit delay last week it emerged the Government has ditched some its no deal planning “immediate effect”.
