EU tells UK that is needs to hold another referendum or a general election if it wants Brexit extension

EUROPEAN Union (EU) negotiators have told the UK that they will grant it an extension to its Brexit plans if London can come up with a new roadmap that involves either a second referendum or a general election.

Following a referendum in which 52% of respondents voted to leave, the UK was to depart from the EU on March 29 but this has not been possible because it cannot reach an exit deal. Despite numerous votes in the House of Commons in London, parliamentarians are unable to agree on a specific Brexit deal, forcing Prime Minister Theresa May to ask the EU for an extension.

Prime Minister May has asked for an extension until April 12 but with it being unlikely that a deal acceptable to all will be reached by then, the only two other options left on the table are for the UK to crash out without a deal or ask for more time. It is believed that Mrs May could go back to ask for a further extension until May 22 but the EU has said it will only grant this if she comes up with an alternative plan.

Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, said that the UK would have to hold a referendum, general election, or some kind of other political process if it wants to delay Brexit again. Speaking in Brussels after British MPs yet again rejected a slate of compromises packages, Mr Barnier said a no-deal is becoming more likely day after day.

According to Mr Barnier, the EU would accommodate any move by MPs to try and soften Brexit, stating that deals like the so-called Norway option or a customs union had always been on the table. Yesterday, the House of Commons narrowly rejected a customs union by just three votes and a Norway-style single market membership by 21 votes.

In addition, a plan for a final say referendum was rejected by another narrow 12 vote margin. If the UK does not pass any Brexit option by 12 April it would need to revoke Article 50 or get approval from an extension for the EU to avoid crashing out with a no-deal.

Mr Barnier said: “If the UK Parliament does not vote in favour of the Withdrawal Agreement in the coming days only two options would remain. Leaving without an agreement or requesting a longer extension of the Article 50 period.”

Some Brexiteer Tory MPs actively want a no-deal Brexit despite the near certainty of serious economic damage to the UK as last week, 157 Tory MPs explicitly voted for a no-deal motion. However, Mr Barnier poured cold water on Brexiteer assumptions about a no-deal and said the EU would require the UK to ratify Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement before it would begin trade negotiations with a Britain that had crashed out.

He added that he was sure that in the event of a no-deal the UK will come to the EU after a few months to begin negotiations on trade. However, Mr Barnier said the UK would still have to settle the issues of citizens rights, Ireland and the divorce bill included in the controversial treaty.

 “The UK may ask for another extension but such an extension would carry significant risks for the EU, therefore a strong justification would be needed. However, during any long extension there will be no renegotiation of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, no, never,” Mr Barnier added.