Man Who Wrote Article 50 Explains Why Extension Is "Necessary"

15 January 2019, 15:32

The man who wrote Article 50 says it would be more appropriate to extend Brexit than to cancel it and attempt to reopen negotiations.

Lord Kerr, who authored Article 50 dismissed Theresa May's suggestion that extending the process would reopen negotiations.

Speaking to Shelagh Fogarty, Lord Kerr said: "I think an extension is probably going to be necessary now.

"I think there has to be an extension rather than just withdrawing the letter."

Lord Kerr also suggested that the European Union would be willing to grant an extension to Article 50 for "a general election or a second referendum" but not if it was just to allow MPs more time to debate.

"There's nothing in the treaty that says how long you can have an extension, but there is the problem of the European Parliament elections which is due at the end of May.

"If it was clear why we were requiring the extension, if it was just to go on with the same four red lines and the same insistence about the Prime Minister not changing her view, then I'm not sure we would get it," he said.

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