Brexit delay: Theresa May writes to Donald Tusk to ask for further extension to 30 June

Prime minister says new extension period should be 'terminated early' if MPs approve exit plan

Theresa May has written to Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, to ask the EU for a further delay to Brexit until 30 June.

The prime minister said she was still hopeful of leaving the bloc earlier and asked for the UK to be able to exit as soon as possible if a withdrawal deal is approved by parliament.

She had been expected to request a longer delay but faced heavy pressure from pro-Brexit cabinet ministers to seek only a short extension.

The UK is currently due to leave the bloc on 12 April but Ms May was forced to ask for another delay after MPs voted down her proposed withdrawal agreement three times.

She will travel to Brussels on 10 April for an emergency European Council meeting at which EU leaders will decide whether or not to approve the UK's request. Mr Tusk is expected to instead propose a one year delay with the option of the UK leaving earlier if parliament ratifies an exit deal.

Any further delay to Brexit would likely require the UK to take part in European Parliament elections on 23 May.

Ms May said the government would prepare to hold these elections but remained hopeful of cancelling them.

Writing to Mr Tusk to seek a further extension, she said: "The United Kingdom proposes that this period should end on 30 June 2019. If the parties are able to ratify before this date, the government proposes that the period should be terminated early.

"The government will want to agree a timetable for ratification that allows the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union before 23 May 2019 and therefore cancel the European Parliament elections, but will continue to make responsible preparations to hold the elections."

The government will continue to hold talks with Labour on Friday in a bid to find a way to break the deadlock in parliament. Ministers and shadow ministers met for four and a half hours on Thursday for negotiations that No10 later described as "detailed and productive technical talks".

In her letter to Mr Tusk, Ms May said "if the talks do not lead to a single unified approach soon", the government will "instead look to establish a consensus on a small number of clear options on the future [EU-UK] relationship" that would be put to the House of Commons "in a series of votes to determine which course to pursue".

The government "stands ready to abide by the decision of the House, if the Opposition will commit to doing the same", she added.

Ms May said the offer was proof that "the government is determined to bring this process to a resolution quickly".

Her letter came hours after Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, suggested the prime minister would have to agree to whatever extension the EU offers.

He told the BBC: “The problem then would be that we would be in an extension. It’s likely to be a long one, by which I mean longer than just a few weeks or months.

“The prime minister would have little choice but to accept the extension that she’s offered."

But Ms May had faced heavy pressure from Eurosceptic cabinet ministers and the threat of resignations from the government if she requested a long extension to Article 50.

Senior ministers including Gavin Williamson, Michael Gove, Liz Truss, Andrea Leadsom and Chris Grayling reportedly held two meetings on Thursday to discuss how to persuade Ms May to seek only a short delay.