‘Brexit, Brexit, Brexit’: EU’s Tusk appeals to MPs to sort out Britain’s withdrawal once and for all during six-month flextension as Juncker whines about the endless focus on the issue

• European Council President Donald Tusk offered Theresa May a glimmer of hope
• A flexible extension for Article 50 was granted until the end of October last night
• Tusk said the short extension was ‘still enough to find the best possible solution’
• Meanwhile Jean-Claude Juncker lamented talk was always ‘Brexit, Brexit, Brexit’ 

European Council President Donald Tusk urged MPs not to ‘waste this time’ as Theresa May was granted a flexible six month extension to Brexit.

EU leaders agreed to delay the UK’s departure until October 31 at a crunch summit tonight and spoke at a joint press conference with Jean-Claude Juncker in the early hours of Thursday morning. 

‘Please don’t waste this time,’ Tusk told a news conference after eight hours of discussions.

Meanwhile Juncker lamented how the public thought the EU only talked ‘Brexit, Brexit, Brexit’ and insisted the time had come to refocus on other EU business, such as a deal the bloc signed with China last week that went under-reported, to his frustration. 

Tusk said Britain still had all the options on Brexit available during the extension, from approving the stalled divorce deal, to changing its leave strategy to cancelling the departure altogether.

European Council President Donald Tusk said: ‘This extension is as flexible as I expected, and a little bit shorter than I expected, but it’s still enough to find the best possible solution.’

Tusk was joined by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels who reminded British colleagues of ‘the principle of sincere cooperation between all member states’

Tusk said: ‘Tonight the European Council decided to grant the United Kingdom a flexible extension of the Article 50 period until October 31.

‘This means an additional six months for the UK. During this time, the course of action will be entirely in the UK’s hands.

‘It can still ratify the withdrawal agreement, in which case the extension will be terminated.

‘It can also reconsider the whole Brexit strategy. That might lead to changes in the political declaration, but not in the withdrawal agreement.

‘Until the end of this period, the UK will also have the possibility to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit altogether.’

Mr Tusk went on: ‘The UK will continue its sincere cooperation as a full member state, with all its rights, and as a close friend and trusted ally in the future.

‘Let me finish with a message to our British friends: This extension is as flexible as I expected, and a little bit shorter than I expected, but it’s still enough to find the best possible solution.’ 

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker also reminded his British colleagues of ‘the principle of sincere cooperation between all member states, and we are convinced the UK will respect all its obligations.’

He told the press conference: ‘In June when we meet again we will not be renegotiating the agreement we reached months ago because the withdrawal agreement should be respected in its entirety.

‘It should not be called question because that would jeopardise the backstop agreement we have negotiated with our Irish friends.

‘There will probably be a European election in the UK. That might seem odd but rules are rules, but we must respect European laws. I do rather regret the fact that we only talk about Brexit.

‘I’m very happy that an agreement has been reached among the 27… and in October we’ll see what happens.’ 

He lamented that a deal the EU signed this week with China was badly covered in the European press and said all anyone cared about – and thought the EU cared about – was ‘Brexit, Brexit, Brexit’. 

EU leaders will review the state of play at their regular summit in June.

British Prime Minister Theresa May speaking at the press conference in Brusselsarrive to hold a news conference after an extraordinary European Union leaders summit to discuss Brexit, in Brussels

‘June is not a cliff-edge, or a moment to take new decisions, it must be clear,’ Tusk said. ‘June is not for decisions about extension. My intention is even not to discuss, but only to inform member states about the situation.’

The October 31 date is seen as a compromise between the majority of the EU 27 leaders who wanted to delay Brexit until the end of the year or March 202, and France’s Emmanuel Macron, who emerged as a vocal opponent to a long extension. 

One thing Tusk said would be impossible was a reopening of the Withdrawal Agreement – as demanded by some Tory Brexiteers.

The new dates suggest that the UK is now all but certain to take part in EU elections in May – almost three years after the referendum vote to leave – infuriating already incandescent Tory Brexiteers.

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