LONDON – Prime Minister Theresa May made an impassioned appeal to British lawmakers to support her yesterday after the European Union said it could only grant her request to delay Brexit for three months if parliament next week backed her plans for leaving.

May had earlier asked the EU to let Britain delay its departure date from March 29 to June 30, a question that leaders of the remaining 27 member states will discuss at a summit today. European Council President Donald Tusk said it would be possible to grant Britain a short postponement if parliament next week backs May’s divorce agreement, which it has already voted down twice.

Should that happen, Tusk said no extraordinary EU summit would be needed next week before the current Brexit date. Otherwise, he said he might convene the leaders again. “I believe that a short extension will be possible, but it will be conditional on a positive vote on the Withdrawal Agreement in the House of Commons,” Tusk told journalists. He did not comment on the possibility – which he himself has suggested – that another option such as a longer delay might be offered to avoid a painful no-deal exit if May’s deal was voted down again.(Reuters)…[+]