European Union leaders have offered to delay Brexit until Oct. 31.
Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, said he was taking the offer to Prime Minister Theresa May for approval from the U.K. government.
The emergency summit was convened after Prime Minister Theresa May requested a further delay to the U.K.’s departure from the bloc, as any Brexit deal has still not received approval from the British Parliament.
U.K. lawmakers have rejected May’s agreement three times but they’ve also failed to reach a majority in support of alternative options.
May has been holding talks with opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in the hope that a compromise or alternative plan can be found, but this has so far proved elusive.
After two years of Brexit negotiations, the U.K. was meant to leave the EU on March 29. With Parliament not backing the deal on offer, the government asked for a short delay to April 12 in order to get backing for an alternative Brexit strategy.
As that has failed to materialize, May was forced last week to ask for a longer delay to June 30 in order to prevent the U.K. leaving the bloc without a deal.
The EU had already warned that a longer delay would mean that it has to take part in European Parliament elections in late May.
This is a breaking news story, please check back later for further updates.
