Thread by @faisalislam

Huge decision now for the PM

https://twitter.com/eucopresident/status/1108855848200257536

EU27 source: “Reduces the likelihood of a chaotic crash out in the next 7 days, or a 24 hour scramble to find an alternative.”

Tusk: European Council approved Strasbourg agreement
Extension two scenarios: if passed by Commons next week, extension till 22 May.
If not the Council agrees to an extension till the 12th April while expecting the UK to indicate a way forward.
Until that date all options open...

Tusk:
Without decision on EP election participation by April 12, longer extension impossible.
I met PM May several times.
I am pleased to confirm we have reached an agreement with UK.

* PM MAY agrees these extension scenarios

Communique:

PM presser incoming - in theory her, indeed any UK PM’s last summit after 46 years...

Although if her deal passes she’ll attend a summit in Romania in May...

....
PM - Commons must pass a Brexit Deal next week to end uncertainty...
Last night I expressed my frustration....

PM confirms to me that 29/3 is now off... that the new date is 12/4 for either NO Deal or Long extension.... or 22/5 if she passes her deal next week.

Says she stands by commitments made by Lidington for indicative votes in early April.

Belgian MEP member of Brexit Steering Group Phillipe Lamberts @ph_lamberts tells us last night that the timetable is designed to give UK Parliament “space” to “take hold of process” and that the PM’s “running down the clock strategy has failed”

PM met with Tusk three times, asEU27 debated their response to the delay request.

The story of yesterday was a change of strategy from EU27. Day started with them rowing in behind PM with a helpful offer to extend beyond 29.3 only if MV passed...

But after both the PM did not answer what would happen if MV3 fell again, and some EU leaders had met with Corbyn or Cable on summit sidelines - consensus was to keep open path to longer extension, while providing some space for Commons to shape response...

In a sense EU Council rendered obsolete Cabinet revolt against PM asking for a longer extension that led to her Tusk letter/Downing St speech ... we’re back to where Lidington was negotiating before that moment, the EU27 not waiting for a UK request to ask for a longer extension

initial block on a longer extension - that the PM implied she would never ask for one because would require EP elections - is put back 2 weeks. Commons has two weeks to weigh up that whatever it wants that requires a longer transition would require abs condition of EP elections

PM’s strategy left standing - she can pursue MV3. But EU did not end up backing up her final throw of the dice her deal vs No Deal gambit. There is now a separate path to longer extension, which is EU27 making an assessment about UK politics and reaching around PM directly to HoC

I pointed out on here section 20 of the EU Withdrawal Act gives ministers power to change exit date by regulation, as long as its same as Treaty date. Essentially EU has now changed to April 12th. UK can too, doesn’t require Act, just Statutory Instrument

https://twitter.com/janspics26/status/1108996573827084289?s=21

indeed rather different in tone to Downing St statement the night before... not sure many people can really know how it might change day to day either - which is why support for Letwin/Boles/Cooper/ Benn process to be voted on Monday seems to have grown

https://twitter.com/malcolmsym/status/1108994124047417344?s=21