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4/10/19

Britain-Brexit-Delay:Trick or treat? EU, UK agree to delay Brexit until Halloween - by Jill Lawless and Raf Casert

European Union leaders and Britain on Thursday agreed to a Brexit extension that will allow the U.K. to delay its EU departure date until Halloween.

Leaders of the 27 remaining EU member states met for more than six hours before agreeing after midnight to postpone Brexit until Oct. 31.

European Council President Donald Tusk presented the offer to May, who had asked for a delay only until June 30.

Tusk said in a tweet that the British leader had agreed to the longer “flexible” extension, which means Britain can leave before October if it ratifies a withdrawal deal with the EU.

“This means additional six months for the UK to find the best possible solution,” Tusk wrote.

May’s future, meanwhile, is uncertain.

She has previously said that “as prime minister” she could not agree to let Britain stay in the EU beyond June 30, and she has also promised to step down once Brexit is delivered.

Many Conservative Party lawmakers would like her to quit now and let a new leader take charge of the next stage of Brexit. But they can’t force her out until the end of the year, after she survived a no-confidence vote in December.

Read more: Trick or treat? EU, UK agree to delay Brexit until Halloween

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