EU will delay Brexit until February if Boris Johnson fails to ratify deal this week: The Sunday Times

The delay would be "fungible", meaning that Britain could leave earlier, on Nov 1 or 15, December or January. PHOTO: AFP

LONDON (REUTERS) - The Sunday Times has reported that the European Union will delay Brexit until February 2020 if Prime Minister Boris Johnson is unable to get his deal past parliament this week.

The delay would be "fungible", meaning that Britain could leave earlier, on Nov 1 or 15, December or January, if his deal is ratified before the extension ends, the newspaper said, citing diplomatic sources.

No decision will be taken until EU governments have the chance to assess the chances of the withdrawal treaty getting through parliament before Tuesday (Oct 22) this week, the newspaper added.

EU diplomats and officials told Reuters on Sunday that, depending on the next developments in London, extension options range from just an additional month until the end of November to half a year or longer.

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