EU set to put Brexit delay on hold after Johnson's ultimatum

[nitpicker]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/24/eu-could-rethink-brexit-extension-after-latest-johnson-manoeuvre

EU set to put Brexit delay on hold after Johnson's ultimatum

Daniel Boffey in Brussels and Angelique Chrisafis in Paris

Thu 24 Oct 2019 21.23 BST Last modified on Fri 25 Oct 2019 09.00 BST

The EU’s plan to offer the UK an extension until 31 January on Friday is expected to be put on hold after Boris Johnson threatened to pull the Brexit deal if Jeremy Corbyn rejects a general election.

Sources said the dramatic developments in Westminster needed to be fully understood and the choreography in Brussels could change.

Donald Tusk, the European council chairman, had been expected to announce on Friday morning, following a meeting with ambassadors, that the EU27 had accepted the delay requested in a letter reluctantly sent by Johnson last Saturday. But senior EU sources said the developments in London had left the situation in flux. An announcement is expected on Monday or Tuesday.

Suggestions that the Labour leader could reject Johnson’s demand for a general election on 12 December provoking the prime minister to pull his deal set alarm bells ringing.

Sources said the French government wanted to see the outcome of the vote on a general election before making a decision, but that the other 26 member states were ready to grant the three-month extension.

The final offer could differ from the extension requested in the Benn act by specifying that the UK could leave on 15 November if the deal was ratified in the UK and European parliament.
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