France Says It Won’t Agree to Brexit Extension Without ‘Guarantees’

(Bloomberg) -- France won’t accept the extension of Brexit talks unless the U.K. government offers “guarantees” that the deal between London and the European Union will be passed in British parliament, French Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Wednesday.

“If she can’t bring the sufficient guarantees, it would cause us to cast aside the request and prepare for a hard exit,” Le Drian said during question time at the National Assembly, referring to British Prime Minister Theresa May.

May has asked the EU for an extension to the Brexit deadline until June 30, she told lawmakers in the House of Commons.

“In the absence of an accord, we are ready,” Le Drian said. France insists on three points: “the extension is to finalize the exit accord; that we are very clear that we will not renegotiate the accord; and the U.K. will not take part in next EU elections,” he said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Gregory Viscusi in Paris at gviscusi@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Geraldine Amiel at gamiel@bloomberg.net, Ben Sills

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