EU lawmaker Hubner raises hopes of Brexit delay amid uncertainty

Britain will most likely get the European Union's approval for a Brexit delay if it asks, but the bloc will not change their stalled divorce deal during that time or negotiate future ties, European lawmaker Danuta Hubner said on Thursday. British Prime Minister Theresa May is preparing to push her lawmakers to vote again next week on the EU divorce deal, which they have already rejected twice, before the current exit date of March 29.

Hubner, who sits on a six-strong panel dealing with Brexit in the European Parliament, said the EU-UK divorce deal was final. The House of Commons was due to vote on Thursday on whether to seek an extension of Brexit negotiating time. "A short extension was only meant to let the UK put necessary laws in place to prepare for exit having approved the divorce deal," Hubner told Reuters.

"In the absence of an approved deal by March 29, it is not clear on what basis and why to give them an extension. It is heading towards an extension anyway, but much is still unknown."