France would block Brexit delay without a clear objective

France would block a delay to Brexit unless it had a “clear objective” based on a “new choice” by the British, Emmanuel Macron has said.

Speaking at a joint press conference with German chancellor Angela Merkel in Paris, the French president became the first EU leader to categorically raise the possibility of blocking an extension to the Article 50 negotiating period.

“We would support an extension request only if it was justified by a new choice of the British,” he told reporters.

France has a veto on an Article 50 extension because all EU countries must unanimously agree to an extension for one to happen .- Via Independent

Meanwhile The Guardian reports that the fate of a backbench amendment seeking to guarantee EU citizens’ rights is in the balance after the home secretary backed it and the MP who tabled it was forced to resign from the government.

Sajid Javid said the government would support the amendment laid by the Conservative MP Alberto Costa to ringfence EU citizens’ future rights under a no-deal Brexit, hours after Theresa May dismissed it as unworkable.

But less than an hour after Javid made his comments, Costa left his post as parliamentary private secretary to the Scotland secretary, David Mundell.

Sources close to Costa said he was given no option but to resign, after tabling the amendment calling on May to seek an urgent meeting with the EU to do a side deal securing the rights of EU citizens in the UK and British nationals settled in the EU, whatever the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.