Brexit: Cracks emerge as EU squabbles over ‘inevitable’ no-deal

Theresa May is not the only one dealing with internal drama over the long-running saga. The EU is getting in on the act as reality dawns.

As European leaders began their Brexit deliberations on Thursday, they were handed a sealed envelope by Donald Tusk, the council president.

It contained a proposal for an agreed position: Britain was to be offered a short extension until May 22 but on the strict condition that a deal was approved next week. If not, EU leaders would meet again on Thursday to decide the terms of a longer extension or prepare for no deal.

MORE: EU, Theresa May agree to delay Brexit by up to six weeks

The sealed envelope had two functions: to prevent leaks but more importantly the “draft” summit conclusions were meant to shape the debate, minimise disagreement and prevent 27 leaders, all with their own views, from squabbling.

It failed completely.

Within minutes the document was leaked and it quickly became clear that there was no consensus in the room on anything. President Macron, who had warned earlier that a no-deal Brexit could be inevitable, argued that the deadline should be moved forward to May 7. The following day is Victory in Europe day, with the French president insistent that the EU’s “British problem” must be solved by then.

Other countries who have been largely silent until now weighed in to disagree. The Danes said that Theresa May’s June 30 request should be granted. They were backed by Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister, amid growing concerns in Dublin over the likelihood of an accidental no-deal Brexit.

French President Emmanuel Macron. Picture: AFP

The wrangling went on for more than three hours with the leaders having to rip up plans to discuss over dinner Europe’s strategy to deal with China. The Brexit debate continued over duckling a l’orange. Plans to announce the EU’s agreed position at a press conference were also shelved.

The fractious deliberations were not helped by Mrs May’s inability to tell them what she would do if parliament voted for a third time next week to reject her deal. She was invited to address the 27 at the start of the discussion and in the end was grilled for nearly two hours. As with previous summits, Mrs May failed to impress European leaders by initially reading out the letter she had sent the day before and dodging repeated questions about what her plan was if she lost the third meaningful vote next week.

Aides said that even after the question-and-answer session, the EU heads of states and government were none the wiser. One prime minister said: “We are getting near the no-deal moment and she was far from clear. The only thing that came through with clarity was her lack of a plan.”

As EU leaders began talks over dinner, the Macron plan was changed to remove a reference to a longer extension and dropping the May 7 deadline.

Under the new proposal, brokered by Germany and the Netherlands, Britain would be get an extension until May 22 but if it signalled a willingness to hold European elections by April 11 then the EU would be open to a long extension.

One source suggested that the chaos was caused by EU leaders’ reluctance to turn up to an emergency summit next week. Under Mr Tusk’s original proposal, decisions on what to do if the Commons rejected the deal were not supposed to be discussed on Thursday.

For EU leaders, who have prided themselves on their unity until now, the deliberations have exposed fractures that were always under the surface.

The French, in particular, have taken a harder approach while Angela Merkel is determined to avoid any move by the EU that could increase the chances of a no-deal. When the two big powerbrokers of the EU disagree, finding consensus has been known to be difficult, with discussions running well into the night. EU diplomats recalled that the last time European leaders drafted their own summit conclusions on migration last summer, talks lasted for 15 hours and broke up at five in the morning.

Members of the European Council on the first day of an EU summit focused on Brexit. Picture: AFP

As for the prime minister, she was not even a bystander. She had to leave the council chamber after her presentation and retired to the delegation room to await white — or more likely grey — smoke.

Ultimately she will have little choice but to accept what’s on the table. She and parliament will face a choice: the new extension on offer or a no-deal Brexit a week today.

With Bruno Waterfield

The Times