Theresa May said the UK would not have to take part in the May 23 European Parliament elections if MPs agreed a Brexit plan first. But on Tuesday, Mr Lidington said “regrettably” it is “not going to be possible to finish that process” before the EU election and legally, the UK must take part. The UK is working toward an October 31 Brexit deadline, after the process was delayed twice.
Every five years, EU voters go to the polls to elect members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
The European Parliament is made up of 751 MEPs in total from all across the EU, elected by citizens.
READ MORE: Key Brexit dates to watch in the coming months
EU elections: Theresa May hoped to get a Brexit deal through before the election (Image: Getty)
Each of the 28 EU countries is allocated a set number of seats, roughly depending on the size of its population - the UK has 73.
