MPs are now expected to vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal on March 12 – just 17 days before the UK is due to leave the EU.
With time running out until exit day, there is increased chatter Brexit will be delayed in order to stop the country crashing out of the bloc without a deal.
Downing Street confirmed the prime minister did “briefly” discuss an extension to Article 50 with Angela Merkel when she met the German chancellor at this weekend’s summit in Sharm el Sheikh.
Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, said on Monday an extension now looked like the “rational” solution.
But Theresa May has repeatedly insisted the UK will leave the EU on March 29 as planned.
The Tory grassroots, as well as the Brexiteer wing of the party in parliament, are strongly opposed to any extension of Article 50. And would go bananas at any hint of a delay.
But there is significant section of the party, including in cabinet, that are deeply opposed to running down the clock – let alone actually leaving with no agreement.
Work and pensions secretary Amber Rudd said on Monday: “What I don’t think is acceptable is allowing us to move ever closer to a no-deal.”
And pro-Remain defence minister Tobias Ellwood suggested the PM could announce a possible delay to Brexit when she updates the Commons on Brexit progress on Tuesday.
“You need to wait and hear what she has to say when she gets back,” he told BBC Radio 4′s today programme.
The battle over whether to delay will come to a head when MPs have a chance to vote on the Brexit next steps on Wednesday.
According to The Daily Telegraph, Downing Street has drawn up plans to delay by around two months if a deal has not been agreed by March 12 – in an effort to avoid resignations from the government.
A cross-party group of MPs seeking to block no-deal, led by Labour’s Yvette Cooper, will table an amendment giving the Commons the power to demand a delay to Brexit if a deal is not in place by March 13.
Over the weekend three pro-EU cabinet ministers – Rudd, David Gauke and Greg Clark – signalled they could be prepared to vote for it if there was no breakthrough in the negotiations.
Andrew Percy and Simon Hart, the leaders of a 100-strong group of Tory MPs known as the Brexit Delivery Group, have also moved to table their own amendment. It would legislate for an extension of Article 50 until a fixed date of May 23, if no deal is agreed by March 13.
But to extend Article 50, the EU would have to agree. Brussels reportedly believes a much lengthier 21-month extension is the more palatable option – and the fear is that a short delay would not be enough to change the dynamics in Westminster enough to see MPs back a deal.