Brexit Could Be Delayed If MPs Fail To Approve May’s Deal, Government Minister Reveals

Later in the Commons, Brexit Secretary Barclay refused to give a categoric promise that Article 50 would not be extended.

Instead he pointed out that there were several obstacles to extending the Brexit talks period. 

“In terms of extending Article 50 the reality is it’s not a unilateral decision. That would require the consent of the other 27 member states,” he said.

“That would also raise all sorts of practical issues not least the [European] Parliamentary elections at the end of May. It is this government’s firm intention not to extend Article 50 and to leave the European Union.”

Asked about any extension, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman also said: “The PM has been very clear on a number of occasions that that is not something we are intending to do.”

In the Commons, Tory MP Julian Lewis pointed out that May had told MPs on 74 occasions that the UK will be leaving the EU “on 29 March” 2019. “Will the secretary of state confirm that under no circumstances will that date be postponed?,” he asked.

Barclay replied: “The Prime Minister has made that commitment crystal clear.”

But anti-Brexit MPs pounced on James’ remarks, claiming she had let slip the reality facing ministers.

Labour’s Owen Smith, part of the pro-EU ‘Best for Britain’ campaign, told HuffPost UK: “She’s right to say we may have to extend Article 50 when Parliament rejects this rubbish deal next week.

“But there’s little point in extending if all we are going to do is seek another tweak or twiddle to the Withdrawal Agreement.

“What we really need is some decisive action: the PM should put her shoddy deal to the country and ask people if they want Brexit now they know what it looks like or whether they’d rather stick with the safety and security of partnership in the EU.”

Some of the PM’s allies are still confident she can win round sceptical MPs if Brussels agrees next week a new clarification that a trade deal is expected to start in 2021.

Earlier, former Treasury permanent secretary Nick Macpherson tweeted that it was unrealistic to expect such a timeframe.