What is the new Brexit deadline, is it happening on Halloween and what happens next?

ON March 29, the day the UK was supposed to leave the European Union, MPs blocked May’s Brexit deal for the THIRD time.

So what’s the new Brexit deadline and what happens next? Here’s everything you need to know.

The PM has lost her ‘meaningful vote’ for the third time – so what now?

EPA

What is the new Brexit deadline and is it happening on Halloween?

After May’s deal was defeated for third time, it is now unclear when exactly Brexit will be.

However, the Prime Minister was granted an extension until Thursday October 31 — Halloween — after lengthy talks with squabbling EU leaders in Brussels on April 10.

The UK was set to crash out of the EU without a deal on April 12, but Parliament has repeatedly shown strong opposition to a No Deal Brexit.

The extension to October 31 is set to cost more than £5billion.

• Mrs May vowed to continue her efforts to get Britain out of the EU by June 1 by convincing Parliament to back her deal.
• No10 officials said she would stay for as long as it takes to deliver Brexit, clinging onto power until possibly the end of the year
• But the prospect of a six-month delay was slammed by Brexiteers and welcomed by Remainers desperate to force a second referendum
• EU leaders were deeply split over the way forward – with Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel on opposite sides of the debate
• Businesses blasted the continued uncertainty as”seemingly endless” and that it can’t go on

The Prime Minister signed up to the latest delay despite repeatedly vowing she wouldn’t keep Britain in the EU past June at the latest.

EU boss Donald Tusk declared: “EU27/UK have agreed a flexible extension until October 31. This means additional six months for the UK to find the best possible solution.”

What were the results of the latest vote?

On March 29, 2019, MPs voted by 286 to 344 to reject the government’s withdrawal agreement – on the day the UK was due to leave the EU.

This marked a slight improvement on the last time it was brought to Parliament — but still a loss by a majority of 58.

It came two days after all eight alternative Brexit proposals were voted down by MPs.

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What will happen next?

Key events leading up to Britain's exit from the European Union

Ongoing: talks with the Labour Party

May has taken the unusual step of turning to the opposition Labour Party to try to find an exit deal that will win the support of a majority in parliament.

Since starting on April 3, the talks are expected to continue this week even though parliament is currently not sitting.

Labour says the government has yet to concede any ground.

But foreign minister Jeremy Hunt on Monday described the talks as more constructive than people think.

April 23: Parliament returns

Cabinet Office minister David Lidington said on Sunday the cross-party talks could not “drag out” and parliament needs to take stock when it returns from its current break on April 23.

May 2: Local council elections

Elections to local and regional government take place in certain parts of the country on May 2.

These will be used to gauge the electoral impact that failing to deliver Brexit on schedule has had on May’s Conservative Party.

If they go badly, it could increase pressure on May to step down – yet again.

May 23: European elections

Britain is currently due to participate in elections for the European Parliament.

May wants to cancel these elections and lead the country out of the bloc before this date.

However, first she’ll need to win a vote in parliament approving a Brexit deal, AND pass the necessary legislation to implement it.

If May cannot deliver Brexit by this deadline, the elections will go ahead and Tory eurosceptics “are likely to increase their calls for her to resign and give a new leader the chance to pursue a different path”, says Reuters.

June 1 – No Deal Day?

If Britain does not take part in the European Parliament elections but has not ratified an exit deal, the country will leave without any formal agreement on June 1.

This was set out on April 11 when the EU agreed to offer May more time.

October 31: Brexit Day

Britain’s EU membership is due to end on October 31, with or without a deal.

If a deal has not been agreed and ratified by then, the government will face the choice of leaving without a deal, seeking more time, or even cancelling Brexit altogether.