Macron leads EU leaders in slapping down Tusk's calls for a 'flextension'

Emmanuel Macron (pictured today) believes it is 'premature' to assume they will grant Britain another extension to the Brexit negotiation period

Emmanuel Macron (pictured today) believes it is 'premature' to assume they will grant Britain another extension to the Brexit negotiation period

Emmanuel Macron is leading European efforts to stop Britain from getting any new delay to Brexit without a 'clear and credible' plan for leaving, saying we should otherwise be left to quit 'in a disorderly manner'.

Paris today attacked both Theresa May's plea to postpone leaving until June 30 and a separate plan from European Council president Donald Tusk to keep us in the trade bloc for a year.

A French diplomatic source said Mr Tusk's idea for a 'flextension' until March 29 2020 was 'a clumsy trial balloon' ahead of an emergency summit next Wednesday.

And European affairs minister Amélie de Montchalin warned that Theresa May's desire for a short extension of Article 50 with a break mechanism to leave sooner if a Withdrawal Agreement passed through Parliament was not likely to succeed.

'The European council took a clear decision on 21 March … Another extension requires the UK to put forward a plan with clear and credible political backing,' she told the Guardian

'The council would then define the necessary conditions attached to that extension, she said.

'In the absence of such a plan, we would have to acknowledge that the UK chose to leave the EU in a disorderly manner.'

The French intransigence came as senior Dutch and German politicians also questioned Mrs may's request for a delay to June - after a similar request was rejected out at the last summit in March and two shorter ones imposed.

Dutch premier Mark Rutte said May's letter seeking the extension 'raises many questions' and there will have to be 'intense discussions' ahead of a crucial summit of European leaders next Wednesday that will decide on the issue.

'The plan was that the British would explain what they wanted from the EU,' Rutte told a weekly press conference.

'A letter was sent today which, as far as I am concerned, doesn't answer this request (from the EU for more information). I hope it will be possible to give the answers to these questions.'

Rutte - who has been one of the most outspoken EU leaders on Brexit as his country faces the risk of an economic shock if Britain leaves without a deal - said the letter had 'no full plan, there was only part of a plan.'

'We hope London will provide more clarity before Wednesday,'

German foreign minister Heiki Mass added that 'many questions' remained about Mrs May's plan.

Theresa May will write to EU Council President Donald Tusk to request an extension to Article 50 that will delay the UK's departure beyond April 12

Donald Tusk will insist in it being a year-long delay into 2020

Theresa May will write to EU Council President Donald Tusk to request an extension to Article 50 that will delay the UK's departure beyond April 12 - but Mr Tusk will insist in it being a year-long

read more from dailymail.....

PREV Female powerlifting champion and influencer Rhayara Morais, 34, is found dead ... trends now
NEXT Suffering for Christ: Christians around the world re-enact the crucifixion of ... trends now