Following the EU and UK’s agreement to extend Article 50 by six months to 31st October, here are the Q&A presser takeaways posted by The Guardian:
Junker & Tusk’ Presser Q&A
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Watch Live: EU’s Tusk/Junker joint Presser underway: It’s all Brexit, Brexit, Brexit – (Junker sounds fed up!)
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Watch Live: EU’s Tusk/Junker joint Presser underway: EU decided to grant a flexible extension (Tusk)
Tusk does not rule out EU agreeing further article 50 extension in October
Q: You said the extension was shorter than you expected. Isn’t it the worst of all words? Not short enough to force the issue, but not long enough to allow real change?
Tusk says it is better to have something than nothing.
He says six months “could be enough for a good solution if there is goodwill” and a majority for a solution in the Commons.
He says he is generally satisfied. He says the idea of a flexible extension was not so obvious to some EU leaders.
He says the intention is to finalise this in October. That is the wish and the hope.
But he says he is too old to exclude another scenario. Everything is possible, he says.
Tusk does not rule out EU agreeing a further article 50 extension in October.
Juncker says a no-deal Brexit would have been a disaster.
He says he likes the decision. The end date has been fixed for 31 October. He says he is due to leave his job on 1 November.
Q: What is the point of the review in June?
Tusk says point of the review in June is to inform EU leaders what is happening. It is not a point of decision.
Juncker says in June they will just be taking stock.
Tusk says June is not a cliff edge, or a moment to take new decisions.
Tusk plays down prospect of the EU ending the extension in June under the review procedure.
Q: What is the point of the sincere cooperation clause?
Tusk says EU leaders want a political declaration that the UK would cooperate seriously.
Juncker says this is a reference to treaty obligations.
He says there is some talk of the UK being able to block EU decisions. He says they had heard voices to this effect. [He is referring to people like Jacob Rees-Mogg and Mark Francois.] But there is nothing new about this, he says.
He says the opportunities for the UK to block decisions “are very, very limited’, he says.
Juncker says they will have Brexit with a deal. But it would be better to have a deal, and no Brexit, he says.
Tusk says at least they have reached an agreement here. That does not happen in the British parliament, he says.
And that’s it. The press conference is over.
May’s Presser Q&A
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Watch live: Theresa May holding her own press conference: Regret not been able to persuade parliament yet
Q: You said a few days ago that you would not delay Brexit beyond 30 June. But you have agreed to this. So why should you be the person to preside over this.
May says what has been agreed tonight will allow the UK to leave before the end of June.
Q: Yesterday 177 Tory MPs refused to accept your plan for an extension running until the end of June. Now you have agreed one until the end of October. How can you stay as party leader?
May says she wants to get an agreement as soon as possible.
Q: We could have left this week. You have promised we would be out by various dates, and now it is October. Don’t you owe the country and apology?
May says she has voted for her Brexit deal three times. She will continue to work to get it ratified as soon as possible.
Q: Can the 31 October be extended again? And what conditions are attached?
May says the UK will continue to abide by its obligations, and by the duty of sincere cooperation.
The deadline is now to achieve Brexit by October.
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