LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — The British government conceded Tuesday that any further Brexit delay would likely mean preparing for European Parliament elections next month — but said it could then cancel them at the last minute.
Prime Minister Theresa May announced she would ask the EU next week to delay Brexit for a second time, beyond April 12, to try again to get her divorce deal agreed and ratified in the British parliament.
“We would want to agree a timetable for this bill to ensure it is passed before May 22 so that the United Kingdom need not take part in European Parliamentary elections,” she said in a televised address.
But Britain must notify electoral authorities of its participation in the elections on April 11, for formal notice to be published on April 12.
“The closer we get… up to a point certain things will have to be set in motion,” a spokesman for May’s office said.
“But it’s also the case that right up until the moment of the poll you can stop your participation.”
The elections will be held between May 23 and 26, and the European Commission has previously said that if Britain is granted a long delay, it must organise ballots.
However, some of Britain’s 73 seats have already been reallocated.
© Agence France-Presse