Ten Days to Brexit

The UK and the EU are just ten days from a "hard Brexit." MPs have twice rejected Theresa May's withdrawal agreement. Speaker John Bercow says her government can't bring the motion back - not in the same form, not during this session of parliament.

Ten days and still no one can say just what Brexit is. They don't know. It could be a hard Brexit. It could be a soft Brexit, cushioned by May's withdrawal agreement. The government may persuade the EU members to give it an extension of the March 29th deadline, more breathing space. The whole idea of separating from the EU may simply die on the vine. There may be a hard border dividing the Irish Republic from Northern Ireland. There may be an open border. Speculation is that a hard border between the north and the republic could re-ignite The Troubles that plagued the Irish people for decades.

No one knows. It's a shambles.

May is scrambling to persuade the EU to give her government an extension but European leaders are skeptical about what she wants and why.

Angela Merkel doesn't know how the EU may respond.

Now, we will see what Theresa May says to us, what her wishes are - we will try to respond to those ...

We will watch very attentively how the British government reacts to what was said yesterday in parliament and then deal with the situation. I cannot evaluate what it will be on Thursday - much too much is in flux.

A European council summit begins on Thursday.