European leaders agree 'flextension', missing October 31 Brexit deadline

Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg leaves 10 Downing Street this morning. (Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire)

Britain will remain in the European Union until next year unless Parliament ratifies Boris Johnson's Brexit deal sooner, the remaining member states have agreed.

Following a meeting of ambassadors, European Council president Donald Tusk said the EU27 would accept the UK's request for a Brexit "flextension" until January 31.

The Prime Minister has said in the past that he would prefer to be "dead in a ditch" than miss the October 31 deadline.

Mr Tusk tweeted: "The EU27 has agreed that it will accept the UK's request for a #Brexit flextension until 31 January 2020.

"The decision is expected to be formalised through a written procedure."

The announcement will pile pressure on opposition parties to decide whether to back a pre-Christmas general election, with MPs voting later on Monday on a Government bid to hold a poll on December 12.

Labour has said it will only back the move if Mr Johnson makes "absolutely clear" that no-deal is off the table and a January extension is granted.

But the Liberal Democrats and SNP have put forward a tightly-drafted Bill that would grant an election on December 9 - three days earlier than the PM's suggested polling date - as long as the European Union grants an extension until January 31.

The Prime Minister's election bid on Monday, to be made under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act (FTPA), would require a two-thirds Commons majority - 434 MPs - to agree to an election on December 12.

By Harriet Line, PA Deputy Political Editor