Could the EU ride to Boris Johnson’s rescue over the coming weeks, not by offering a new Brexit deal but by ruling out an extension altogether? It would certainly be one way for the government to get around the Benn Act, which requires the Prime Minister to request an extension if he doesn’t get a deal by 19 October but doesn’t dictate what the EU will say in response. The Prime Minister suggested this morning that a refusal to grant an extension could be what the government is hoping for, telling the EU on the Today programme:
‘I think it would be a mistake to keep the UK bound in beyond the time people want to come out’.
A similar view was put forward by Jacob Rees-Mogg at a Politeia Brexit fringe event last night at Tory conference. Rees-Mogg said it takes ‘two to tango’ and when it comes to an extension being offered it is important to ‘bear in mind…that it has to serve a purpose from the EU’s point of view and it seems very hard to find out what that point might be.’
It’s worth remembering that when an six-month extension was granted back in April, Donald Tusk told the British government: ‘Please do not waste this time’.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in