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Brexit has been delayed, possibly until January next year

EU and UK flags

Britain has been given until January 31 to sort out leaving the EU.

It means the UK will not leave as planned on 31 October.

The UK was due to leave the EU on Thursday, but Mr Johnson was required to request an extension after Parliament failed to agree a Brexit deal.

Leaders from the European Union met to discuss whether the UK should have more time to figure out how to do Brexit, and they appear to have worked out an arrangement.

Media caption,

Brexit: What do you think of the delays?

The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, tweeted the following:

"The EU27 [that's all the countries in the EU except the UK] has agreed that it will accept the UK's request for a #Brexit flextension until 31 January 2020. The decision is expected to be formalised through a written procedure."

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Donald Tusk came up with the word 'flextension'

What is a flextension?

Donald Tusk came up with the term earlier this year.

It basically means that the EU have given the UK a flexible extension.

The UK can still leave the UK sooner but only if MPs approve the plan arranged by Prime Minister Boris Johnson for leaving the EU.

So what happens now?

Well, the truth is it's really hard to tell.

While he hasn't totally given up and getting his deal through Parliament as quickly as possible, the Prime Minister says he wants a general election on 12 December and is planning to put that idea to a vote for MPs later on Monday 28 October.