News analysis

No solution in sight for Britain despite extra time for Brexit

New Oct 31 deadline will not do much to help May get treaty ratified by British Parliament

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Prime Minister Theresa May has won a diplomatic respite after European Union leaders agreed to give Britain extra time to complete the arrangements for the country's departure from the EU.

But the new departure deadline of Oct 31 - decided yesterday morning at an emergency EU summit in Brussels which morphed into intense and often heated discussions - will not do much to help Mrs May get the treaty for Brexit, as the process of Britain's departure from the EU is popularly known, ratified by her country's deadlocked Parliament.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 12, 2019, with the headline No solution in sight for Britain despite extra time for Brexit. Subscribe