The EU will give Britain a 'short' Brexit delay but only if MPs back Theresa May's deal next week, European Council President Donald Tusk said today - setting up a dramatic political showdown days before the UK is due to leave. The dramatic intervention came hours after the Prime Minister revealed she had asked to delay Brexit until June 30, and indicated that she could quit if it is postponed beyond then. Tomorrow's summit now looks certain to set the stage for an historic and pivotal week in British politics as the Brexit endgame goes right down to the wire. If no delay or deal is agreed with the EU before Friday, the law says Britain will leave without a deal - despite years of dire warnings about its impact on Britain. If May's deal fails, the EU has not ruled out offering a longer delay but this would likely come with preconditions such as a second referendum. Speaking in Brussels today Mr Tusk said: 'In the light of the consultations that I have conducted over the past days, I believe that a short extension would be possible. 'But it would be conditional on a positive vote on the Withdrawal Agreement in the House of Commons. 'The question remains open as to the duration of such an extension.' Eurosceptic Cabinet ministers were pictured leaving Downing Street in a seemingly jovial mood before Tusk's announcement amid claims some had threatened to resign last night if Mrs May had pushed for a delay of nine-months.
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