Many no-deal Tory Brexiteers have threatened disruption in an apparent effort to dissuade the EU from offering a long delay, perhaps in hopes of forcing Britain into a no-deal exit soon, if not in two days.
This would certainly limit the UK's capacity to disrupt.
UK risks losing European commissioner role over Brexit delay
France is expected to demand the removal of the post of British European commissioner as a price for a long Brexit delay, leaving Britain without a seat at the top table of Brussels decision-making for the first time since 1973.
Senior EU sources say the French president, Emmanuel Macron, is likely to seek to entrench the UK’s reduced status in the EU at the leaders’ Brexit summit on Wednesday evening.
The British government will have to agree to losing its commissioner but it is unlikely the prime minister will put up a fight when she is presented with the terms of an extension.
“There are different legal means not to have a [British] commissioner,” said an EU diplomat, suggesting one way could be the British government declining to nominate anyone.
“The question of non-participation could depend also on the British government.”
Leaders are expected to reject Theresa May’s appeal for a limited extension to 30 June, but the EU27 are split between those who support a Brexit delay until 31 December year, and those who think the end of March 2020 would be safest.
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