Thursday’s decisions could determine whether Britain crashes out of the E.U. next week.
By Michael Birnbaum and Michael Birnbaum Brussels bureau chief covering Europe Email Bio Follow William Booth William Booth London bureau chief Email Bio Follow March 21 at 9:38 AM BRUSSELS – A humbled, even humiliated British Prime Minister Theresa May came to Brussels on Thursday not to dictate the terms of her country’s exit from the European Union, but to plead for delay — to ask, not to demand, terms for a brief extension of its departure.
Arriving at what could be her final meeting with Britain as a member of the European Union, May said she was there to deliver Brexit. Left unsaid was what happens if the withdrawal deal fails to clear parliament – a real possibility since it has already been defeated twice by historic margins. That would almost certainly force another emergency summit at the end of next week.
Europeans hope the British leader will ask for a much longer extension and declare her willingness to hold elections in May for the European Parliament. So far she has ruled them out for fear of riling hardline Brexit backers within her own Conservative party. May is quickly running out of options back home — with the prime minister and lawmakers now pointing the blame for the chaos at each other.
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