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Mehreen
@MehreenKhn
, 6 tweets, 1 min read Read on Twitter
Selmayr and Barnier briefed EU27 ambassadors on Brexit "deadlock" today. Described increasingly "confrontational" mood with Brits & said any House of Commons vote was destined to fail. Commission ramping up its no deal planning and looking eyeing May 24 for end of extension
EU also offered Brits some additional guarantees to make legally binding the "best endeavours" language on the arbitration mechanism. All to be deposited at the UN in Geneva like Cox wanted. But was rejected by the Brits hence "bleak" mood music around Brussels today
Ambassadors were told there is a legal opinion from the European Council which states that a Brexit extension can be granted to June but will be up to leaders to decide whether they want to grant it and the implications for the European Parliament elections
May over the weekend made noises to EU that she could live with the EU's offer of additional guarantees over the backstop, Coreper was told. But subsequently bombed in the cabinet leading to awkward May - Juncker phonecall on Sunday night and cancelled Brussels trip
Specifically Team Barnier offered Brits assurances that the good faith language could be invoked "before" the dispute settlement process kicks in as laid out in the Withdrawal Agreement. Cabinet said no.
Barnier due to have a phonecall with counterpart Barclay this afternoon. A May-Juncker-Barnier meeting in Strasbourg could still happen
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More from @MehreenKhn see all

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Mehreen
@MehreenKhn
All Dutch parties have decided to suspend election campaigning after Utrecht attack
Head of Dutch counter - terrorism says Utrecht shootings took place in multiple locations in the city
Mark Rutte statement on #Utrecht shootings at 14.30. The government convened emergency meeting today
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Mehreen
@MehreenKhn
EU27 ambassadors had long session on Brexit next steps. Countries are divided on how much their leaders should be prepared to grant an extension at next week's summit. A small hard-line camp says "do nothing", but most want to be ready to give UK something by 21st pending request
Ambassadors asked commission to come up with a water tight legal analysis on what happens if UK remains member state after May and position of European Parliament. Is expected before the summit. EP lawyers are clear: parliament can legitimately constitute on July 2 without elex
One thing EU ambassadors all agreed on: there is no way the UK will be able to implement its tariff schedule on time for an no deal. Leading to general exasperation that the Brits haven't done their homework
Read 4 tweets
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Mehreen
@MehreenKhn
Estonia's liberal PM @ratasjuri - member of @guyverhofstadt's ALDE - has invited far right nationalists to form a coalition. Anything to say @ALDEgroup ?
"No comment" from @guyverhofstadt and @ALDEgroup after Estonia's liberals embrace far-right nationalist eurosceptics in coalition talks
EU liberal leader @guyverhofstadt has now written to Estonia's @ratasjuri warning him not to get into bed with a far-right party "reminiscent of fascist regimes in Europe". Says any coalition would cause "irreparable damage" to his party's relationship with Alde.
Read 3 tweets

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katya adler
@BBCkatyaadler
EU has almost given up trying to understand what’s going on in UK.
Dutch PM Rutte compares Theresa May to Monty Python knight whose limbs get cut off in a duel but insists the fight was a draw. Elsewhere in EU, mood is darker esp with the prospect of a lengthy #Brexit delay 1
With UK politics mired in confusion, only thing EU can control this week is choreography at EU leaders’ summit, starting Thurs. Donald Tusk, EU Council president is visiting capitals to try to co-ordinate single EU response if/when Theresa May asks for article 50 extension 2
Today Tusk is in Berlin and Paris – the EU superpowers. But when it comes to delaying Brexit, any one of the EU’s 27 leaders has a veto. The decision must be unanimous 3
Read 16 tweets
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katya adler
@BBCkatyaadler
EU countries have yet to debate the extension issues amongst themselves. The 27 EU ambassadors had been scheduled to talk about it this morning but agreed not to do so as the UK hasn’t yet officially asked ..1
Of course it would have made sense to war game different extension scenarios but the EU wants the UK to have to sweat it out a bit, wondering what the EU response and conditions may be if/when Theresa May asks to delay #Brexit 2
The EU working assumption is that the PM will ask for an extension ahead of the EU leaders summit next Thursday 3
Read 4 tweets
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katya adler
@BBCkatyaadler
EU watching Westminster closely this week but not rushing to any
conclusions. Here is some of the key thinking in European capitals on
the main #Brexit issues of the day: /1
On Labour/second referendum: Corbyn seen in Europe as convinced
eurosceptic so EU is sceptical of his backing a second referendum. EU
has watched #Brexit turmoil long enough to see huge complications in
holding the vote and realise many leave voters have changed their
mind. /2
Of course EU would still rather UK stayed but Europe's leaders don't
see this as realistically on the cards right now. Most realistic,
considering turmoil in Westminster, says EU council President Tusk:
would be to extend article 50 leaving process. /3
Read 11 tweets
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Gavan Reilly
@gavreilly
#Brexit thread:

So. Tomorrow the House of Commons will vote on a series of possible amendments to Theresa May's 'Plan B' - or rather the 'plan of action to achieve a Plan B' - which itself officially reads as follows:
The amendment most likely to pass – and therefore the one on which most attention has been paid – is this one from Conservative party chairman Sir Graham Brady. It's effectively an instruction to go back and seek *some unstated other way* to avoid a hard border in Ireland:
Tonight, Theresa May has asked her backbenchers to vote in favour of this amendment. She is basically asking them to tie her hands, so that Brussels will clearly know what it would take to win the Commons' backing for any deal.
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Ryan Heath
@PoliticoRyan
#Brexit #thread
1/ If you don’t follow Brexit every day, here’s some advice. Let go of any illusions that this drama is about trade protocols, residency rights or the status of the Irish border. Brexit is the story of a proud former imperial power undergoing a mid-life crisis
2/ The rest of the world is left listening to Britain’s therapy session as they drone on about their ex-spouse, unable to see, admit or address their own flaws.
3/ The promise of Brexit was that it would make Britain feel big again. “Britain is special,” the Brexiteers assured British voters, who cast their ballots accordingly. But Brexit has proven that for the first time in modern history, Britain is small.
Read 22 tweets
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Jack D 🌹| #GTTO | ✋🏽
@JackDunc1
#Brexit *Thread*

To clarify, I am remain, but I feel a 2nd ref is monumentally risky & perhaps dangerous:-

1. Polls haven't changed much, result could easily be the same
2. Another campaign of hate will embolden the far right
3. If remain win. Leavers will demand another vote
4. Chaos & unrest are likely whatever the result, possibly violence too

What happens if it's still 'Leave'? Picture the chaos, square one. You're simply allowing the Tories more time to fail to come up with a solution. Every day that continues people in this country will suffer
What if it's 'Remain'? Leavers will, with some justification, query why this vote is more valid than the first. This has the potential to cause a constitutional crisis.

People can say 'we know the facts now' all they like, that will not placate millions of angry voters.
Read 11 tweets

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