France hoping British politicians will approve Brexit deal

Reuters
FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron looks on as he meets with disabled handball players during the inauguration of a new handball complex in Creteil, on the outskirts of Paris, France January 9, 2019. Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS

PARIS (Reuters) - France is hoping that members of Britain's parliament will approve Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal, an official at President Macron's Elysee department said on Monday. Asked whether France would support an extension to the official deadline to Article 50 - regarding the timetable for Brexit - the official replied: "We would hope that the vote tomorrow is a favorable one." "Afterwards, if that is not the case, it will be up to the United Kingdom to make a certain number of demands and proposals to the European Union," added the official. The fate of Britain's March 29 exit from the EU is deeply uncertain since parliament looks set to reject May's deal on Tuesday. (Reporting by Michel Rose; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Alison Williams)