Brexit: MPs hold an urgent debate after May calls for the extension of Article 50 – The Politics On Line | Policy

Ken Clarke, the pro-European conservative believes that Article 50 should be extended to a minimum until the end of this year. It's the minimum time MPs need to fix this problem, he says.

In the Commons, Barclay says the Labor Party has not specified the length of the desired extension. He challenges the party to answer, but Starmer does not bite at the hook.

Catherine McKinnell, a member of the Labor Party, intervenes. She says the companies want Section 50 to be extended long enough to allow members to agree on an alternative approach.

Barclay says Starmer wants a second referendum. But Starmer can not say what the question would be, and he did not convince his party's president to support politics, says Barclay.

In the Communes Stephen Barclay, secretary of Brexit, responds to Starmer in the emergency debate. Work Wes Streeting just intervened to say that, despite all her faults, at least when Theresa May will be speaking in front of the dispatch, people will think that she means what she says. Streeting says it's not the same for Barclay, who urged MPs to support the government's motion last week proposing an extension of Article 50 only to vote against herself .

This comes from ITV Robert Peston.

In Brussels, EU officials said that EU leaders would not even make a decision on the extension of Article 50 tomorrow because Theresa May had sent her letter too late .

This is from my colleague Daniel Boffey.

This is the sun Nick Gutteridge.

And this comes from RTE Tony Connelly.

This is from Sky Adam Boulton.

And that comes from the mirror Mikey Smith.

Angelique Chrisafis

The Elysee said on Wednesday that the French president, Emmanuel Macron, had not yet taken a decision on the request for extension of May and would wait for the meeting of the European Council on Thursday, where May should explain its strategy. "No decision will be taken by France before the European Council," said a source at Macron's office.

Paris will then talk with other EU leaders about its response to the extension request.

Starmer says that Theresa May's letter to Donald Tusk (see 12:21 and 2:16 pm) suggests that she only wants to bring back the same contract for a third vote.

According to Starmer, the main problem with Theresa May's strategy is that she seems to think that the preconceived approach she has adopted so far can only be pursued for three months.

This approach has "failed," he says.

He says the House of Commons needs a different approach.

Angelique Chrisafis

The French foreign minister said categorically that Paris could refuse the request for a May extension if the prime minister did not present a clear plan for ratification of the withdrawal agreement by the parliament.

The European pro-European Emmanuel Macron, who wants a reform of the Union and wants to avoid his mandate is mired in Brexit, is pleased that France adopts the hardest line by expressing its exasperation.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian told the French Parliament on Wednesday afternoon:

Our position is to send a simple and clear message to the British.

He said that there were only two ways to leave the EU: ratify the withdrawal agreement or exit without agreement.

He added that if the withdrawal agreement was not ratified by parliament, "the central scenario is an exit without agreement. We are ready".

Drian said France would consider the request for extension in terms of protection of EU interests. France needed three things: first, a short technical extension clearly indicated the way forward for the ratification of the withdrawal agreement. Second, the UK "is very clear that the withdrawal agreement will not be renegotiated and will be preserved in its entirety". Thirdly, the United Kingdom does not participate in the European elections.

He said that if May could not present "sufficient guarantees of the credibility of her strategy", it would lead to the refusal of the extension and to an exit without agreement.

A manager of the Elysée warned this week:

Playing for just time to save time would not be a project or strategy. This is not the time to procrastinate.

Sir Keir Starmer, The Secretary of Brexit 's shadow opens the debate on Brexit.

He begins by saying that Theresa May should be in the House of Commons herself to hear the debate or respond to it.

He says he agrees with what Ed Miliband told PMQ about May being an "obstacle" to the Brexit solution itself.

My colleague Jessica Elgot more about Theresa May's meeting with leaders of opposition parties later.

It will be strange that Jeremy Corbyn does not show up. He was asking for a meeting with Theresa May today, just a few hours ago, in the family housing. (See 12:10 pm.)