UK's May asks a wary EU to delay Brexit until June 30

LONDON (AP) — Exactly 1,000 days after Britain voted to leave the European Union, and nine days before it is scheduled to walk out the door, Prime Minister Theresa May hit the pause button today, asking the bloc to postpone the U.K.'s departure until June 30.

EU leaders, who are exasperated by Britain's Brexit melodrama, said they would only grant the extension if May could win the U.K. Parliament's approval for her twice-rejected Brexit deal. Otherwise, the U.K. is facing a much longer delay to Brexit, or a chaotic "no-deal" departure from the bloc.

In a letter to European Council President Donald Tusk, May acknowledged that the Brexit process "clearly will not be completed before 29 March, 2019" – the date fixed in law two years ago for Britain's departure.

In asking to delay Britain's withdrawal until June 30, May said she would set out her reasons to EU leaders at a summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Tusk said he thought a short delay to Brexit "will be possible, but it would be conditional on a positive vote on the withdrawal agreement in the House of Commons."

British opposition politicians, and pro-EU members of May's Conservative government, had urged a longer extension, saying a delay of just a few months could leave the country once again facing a chaotic no-deal Brexit this summer. Withdrawing without a deal could mean huge disruptions for businesses and U.K. residents, as well as those in the 27 remaining EU countries.

But a long extension would infuriate the pro-Brexit wing of May's divided party and would require Britain to participate in May 23-26 elections for the European Parliament.

May said a longer delay would result in Parliament spending "endless hours contemplating its navel on Brexit."