Thread by @AlbertoNardelli

NEW: The EU Is Expecting Theresa May To Ask For A Long Brexit Delay buzzfeed.com/albertonardell…

EU officials expect May to ask for a long extension, and will likely emerge with a process for MPs to agree the future UK-EU relationship.

As first reported by @BBCkatyaadler last night, Tusk is inclined to ask EU leaders to grant a "flextension".

Following a meeting yesterday, a senior EU official quotes Tusk as saying: “The only reasonable way out would be a long but flexible extension."

@BBCkatyaadler If the WA is ratified, the extension comes to an end. (side note: this bit is not fully clear to me as it's how I understand A50 to work anyway).

Officials are clear that the UK will have to hold EP elections. Not least, because few believe WA will be ratified by 22/05

@BBCkatyaadler I'm told there have been conversations between Brussels and EU capitals, and between EU and UK officials. i.e. everyone is in the loop.

However, I am also told by senior European gov't officials that not all leaders are (yet) on board with the idea of a long flexible extension

@BBCkatyaadler UPDATE: May has asked for an extension to 30 June, which is odd as this is the same (rejected) request the PM made last time, and expectation among officials was for a long extension buzzfeed.com/albertonardell…

@BBCkatyaadler EU source says that Tusk’s "flextension" idea is "absolutely compatible" with the logic of PM May’s request. UK can leave when ready, also protects the interests of the EU, and avoids repeated cliff edges and emergency summits.

@BBCkatyaadler However, as reported earlier, not all capitals are convinced by the idea of a long extension. This via @michelreuters on the view in Paris - "France considers as premature talks of granting Britain another extension" reuters.com/article/us-fra…