The frustrated German Chancellor intervened telling Mr Macron, who was pushing for a no deal exit, and Mr Tusk “even if you don’t need the UK, the EU need them,” according to diplomats. Irritated at the lack of preparedness by EU bosses, Mrs Merkel told Mr Tusk not to interrupt her, according to politics news site Politico.co.uk. The fracas unveiled the cracks threatening to tear apart the unity of the bloc over the UK’s exit from the bloc.
Following a tense EU Summit, Brussels leaders offered the UK a plan which would delay Brexit from March 29 to May 22, on condition that MPs approve Prime Minister Theresa May‘s Brexit al in a vote next week.
If the deal is rejected in its third “meaningful vote” in the Commons, the UK would be given until April 12 to come to the European Council with its proposals for the way forward.
The possibility would be open for a further extension of several months if the UK agreed to take part in European Parliament elections in May.
European Council president Donald Tusk said that the response to Britain’s request for an extension to the Article 50 withdrawal process was agreed “unanimously” by leaders of the other 27 member-states.
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8.17am update: UK urged to think about the European Economic Area
Norway PM Katrín Jakobsdóttir added: “The UK must think about the EEA option and whether it is an option. From what I have read they are very critical of the EEA agreement which the EFTA member are part of. We would be happy to talk about that with the UK if that’s something they want to talk about.
“But the EEA agreement is around the four freedoms. If that is what the UK is critical of it it may not be suitable.”
8.13am update: UK cooperation is beneficial – Iceland
Prime Minister of Iceland Katrín Jakobsdóttir said: “It is very important to the UK as well as Iceland to think about how we can progress our European cooperation which has been very beneficial for Iceland and that is very important for the UK.”
8.05am update: UK must say what they want for future – Belgian PM
Charles Michel said: “On Brexit, the 27 EU countries think that the British Parliament must say clearly what it is that they want. We have been waiting for a long time. We know what they don’t want, but we do not know what they want. A delay is possible if it is very short and only if the Parliament in the next few days supports the agreement.
“Last night we took a good decision that will allow to have some clarity from the British Parliament next week. We need to move forward. We expect a rational decision to keep a close relationship. The British now must say what they want for the future.
“We will listen to Theresa May. It is important that the British Parliament, finally, after months and months, can say what they want. We know what they do not want, but we do not know what they want. We will grant a very limited extension. It’s been two years since we know that Brexit arrives at the end of March. It is now. It’s soon. The British must decide.
“June 30 is a bad date because of the European elections. We would accept a more limited extension. May is more feasible than the end of June.”
7.43pam update: May rules out revoking Article 50 after Brexit petition
The Prime Minister said she would not cancel the Brexit countdown despite a public petition soaring past two million signatures.
She said she did not believe in halting the deadline after the EU offered a delay plan, adding: “I do not believe that we should be revoking Article 50.”
With the highest sign-up rate on record, more 2,000,000 people had pledged their support by the time she fielded questions from reporters in Brussels on Thursday.
Asked whether she thought the public’s view had shifted towards revoking Article 50, Mrs May said: “If you look back to what happened in the referendum, we saw the biggest democratic exercise in our history.
“And there was a clear result that we should leave the European Union.
“We said here’s the vote, what is your decision, and we will deliver on it.
“And I believe it’s our duty as a Government and as a Parliament to deliver on that vote.”
7.24am update: US calls for free-trade agreement with UK
United States Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland said he hoped the UK and the EU would not do anything to “preclude a free trade agreement” with the US during Brexit negotiations.
Speaking to the BBC Today programme, he said: “This is a very, very challenging process for both sides.
“It’s our desire to see both sides come to an amicable conclusion so that the US can enter into free trade agreements and that neither do anything that would preclude a robust free trade agreement with the US.
“In terms of the minutiae of the scheduling negotiations and the question of a crash out versus no crash out, it’s a very, very delicate situation that needs to proceed on its own and I don’t think I would be helpful in contributing anything at this point.”
