I have just met with Donald Tusk, the President of the European
Council, where I agreed an extension to the Brexit process to the
end of October at the latest.
I continue to believe we need to leave the EU, with a deal, as
soon as possible.
And vitally, the EU have agreed that the extension can
be terminated when the Withdrawal Agreement has been
ratified — which was my key request of my fellow
leaders.
For example, this means that, if we are able to pass a deal in
the first three weeks of May, we will not have to take part in
European Elections and will officially leave the
EU on Saturday, 1st
June.
During the course of the extension, the European Council is clear
that the UK will continue to hold full membership rights, as well
as its obligations.
As I said in the room tonight, there is only a single
tier of EU membership, with no conditionality attached beyond
existing treaty obligations.
Let me conclude by saying this.
I know that there is huge frustration from many people that I had
to request this extension.
The UK should have left the EU by now and I sincerely regret the
fact that I have not yet been able to persuade Parliament to
approve a deal which would allow the UK to leave in a
smooth and orderly way.
But the choices we now face are stark and the timetable is clear.
So we must now press on at pace with our efforts to reach a
consensus on a deal that is in the national interest.
Tomorrow I will be making a statement to the House of
Commons.
Further talks will also take place between the
Government and the Opposition to seek a way forward.
I do not pretend the next few weeks will be easy or
that there is a simple way to break the deadlock in
Parliament.
But we have a duty as politicians to find a way to fulfil the
democratic decision of the Referendum, deliver Brexit and move
our country forward.
Nothing is more pressing or more vital.
