Cabinet ministers warn Brexit date is set to be delayed beyond the end of March even if May wins vote on her deal
Theresa May
The Brexit date might need to be extended beyond the end of March even if Theresa May‘s deal is eventually passed, Cabinet ministers believe.
With just three months to go until the UK is due to leave the EU and the Commons still deadlocked, there is mounting acceptance that the timetable will need to be pushed back.
In theory a handful of Bills, including the Withdrawal Agreement Implementation Bill, need to make it through Parliament before the Article 50 process comes to an end.
Downing Street again insisted today that the exit date will not be delayed beyond March 29.
The Commons could cancel recess days to help speed the process, but it is unlikely to be enough.
However, the minister suggested the EU and Brexiteers would not object if there was an agreement ready to be put in place.
‘It will be difficult to pass the legislation by the end of March, even if the deal goes through. But no-one is going to object if we need a couple more weeks,’ they said.
Another senior minister told the Evening Standard the schedule for leaving the EU was now almost certain to be pushed back.
‘The legislative timetable is now very very tight indeed,’ they said.
‘Certainly, if there was
