Brexit LIVE: ‘We should have left EU ALREADY!’ Rees-Mogg fury as extension threatens exit JACOB Rees-Mogg has reacted with fury at Theresa May's decision to delay Brexit, saying that the UK "should have left the EU already".
The prominent Brexiteer and chair of the ERG said the extension of Article of 50 was "not a good idea" as he laid in to the Prime Minister for going back on her way after she ruled out a Brexit delay. He told Sky News: "I thought the Prime Minister said a few weeks ago that she wouldn't agree to any extenstion and now we're getting quite a long one.
"I don't think it's a good idea and it's not delivering on the referendum result. People expected to leave on March 29 and here we are heading towards Halloween.
Mr Rees-Mogg's fury comes as EU boss Donald Tusk dmitted his personal hope that the latest Brexit delay could see Britain abandon its exit from the bloc altogether.
The President of the European Council revealed his “quiet dream” after the bombshell announcement Brexit Day would be delayed until October 31 following a nine-hour summit.
Mr Tusk told the Polish Press Agency: “Maybe we can avoid the UK leaving the EU. This is obviously not my role, but it’s my personal, quiet dream.
Theresa May last night agreed to the extension of Article 50 with EU leaders, which removed the threat of a no-deal Brexit on Friday, but did not remove it as a potential outcome completely.
The UK will now head for a Halloween Brexit after the remaining 27 EU nations offered Mrs May a further six months to ratify or rethink her withdrawal deal.
The second extension to the Brexit process - initially intended to conclude on March 29 - definitively stopped the clock on a no-deal withdrawal on Friday with less than 48 hours to go.
But in early-hours press conference, Mr Tusk did not rule out further extensions beyond October.
The Prime Minister will make a statement on the deal to the House of Commons shortly after 1pm today.
9.41am update: Rees-Mogg hits out at Brexit delay
The prominent Brexiteer told Sky News: "I thought the Prime Minister said a few weeks ago that she wouldn't agree to any extenstion and now we're getting quite a long one.
"I don't think it's a good idea and it's not delivering on the referendum result. People expected to leave on March 29 and here we are heading towards Halloween.
"We should have ledt EU already and that is what we need to deliver on. The Conservative Party was elected on the manifesto, leaving the customs union, leaving the single market.
The Prime Minister needs to remember the votes she won at at the election and gave her her mandate.. was committed to the result of the refernedum,.
Describing it as a "difficult political situation" Mr Rees-Mogg said was not "not involved in any leadership efforts to remove" Mrs May as Prime Minister after he lost a no confidence vote last year.
9.31am update: Brexit nightmare should end before Halloween
Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator, tweeted: "Revoke, a public vote or a sensible cross-party deal. Whatever the choice of the British people & Parliament, I hope the #Brexit nightmare ends well before Halloween."
9.16am update: Corbyn declines to comment on extension
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn declined to comment as he left his north London home when asked whether he welcomed the extension
9.03am update: Leadsom plays down Brexit delay
Speaking outside her flat in Westminster, the Leader of the House of Commons played down speculation that the latest delay could mean the end of Brexit.
She said: "We have to use this time to make sure that we deliver the Brexit we are all looking for, that we work closely with the EU and that they are genuinely helping to make sure we do deliver on the referendum - there won't be any changing our minds about that.
"We are absolutely determined to deliver on that referendum."
8.43am update: May under pressure to quit
Former Brexit secretary David Davis said pressure on Theresa May to quit as Prime Minister will increase, telling the BBC: "I think what is likely to happen is the pressure for her to go will go up.
"The pressure on her to go will increase dramatically, I suspect, now.
"Whether it will come to anything - who knows?"
Asked if Mrs May could still be prime minister at the time of the Tory conference in the autumn, Mr Davis said: "I think it is going to be difficult because by that time we will have had a European election which will become a plebiscite, really, on Brexit.
"And I suspect you will see a very successful rise of a, sort of, Brexit movement, the Nigel Farage thing, and so on.
"So, that will be quite difficult. I think it will be very difficult for her.
"So, the pressure on her will grow."
8.32am update: UK unsure whether it will participate in EU elections
0 Comments