THE president of the European Council has reassured MPs that a Brexit extension is still on the table as they prepare for a Commons showdown on Boris Johnson's new deal.
Two crucial votes today will determine whether the Prime Minister will be able to live up to his "do or die" commitment to take the UK out of the European Union by the October 31 deadline.
French president Emmanuel Macron and EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker had applied pressure on MPs with hints that Johnson's deal is the last and that any further delay may not be granted.
But European Council president Tusk suggested another extension to Article 50 could be granted as he consults EU leaders over the requested delay and MPs prepare to debate the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB).
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"It is obvious that the result of these consultations will very much depend on what the British Parliament decides, or doesn't decide," he said in a speech at the council today.
"We should be ready for every scenario. But one thing must be clear: as I said to Prime Minister Johnson on Saturday, a No-Deal Brexit will never be our decision."
He later tweeted: "After what I have heard in this chamber today, I have no doubt that we should treat the British request for extension in all seriousness."
My last words @Europarl_EN: Thank you for your responsible position on #Brexit and extension. After what I have heard in this chamber today, I have no doubt that we should treat the British request for extension in all seriousness.
— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) October 22, 2019
The new Brexit deal must also win backing from the European Parliament but its Brexit co-ordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, suggested "all problems faced by EU27 nationals in the UK need to be solved" first.
His demands include no citizens being deported from Britain if they miss the deadline for settled status in order to prevent "another 'Windrush scandal".
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Tory ministers have insisted they are confident they have the numbers to get the WAB through the Commons, despite their defeat in Saturday's special sitting.
They face a fierce parliamentary struggle after announcing plans to fast-track it through the lower House in three days, potentially paving the way for the Lords to consider it over the weekend.
They will need MPs to approve a "programme motion" presenting the timetable for its passage through the Commons, setting up a crunch vote this evening.
Many MPs are deeply unhappy that there is so little time for detailed scrutiny of a such an important Bill, which runs to 110 pages with another 124 pages of explanatory notes.
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