Brexit ULTIMATUM: EU now faces key choice as UK threatens to 'FIGHT and resist' Brussels

Nile Gardiner, who is the director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation, warned the European Union that Britain will “fight and resist” if Brussels force on a long Brexit delay. Mr Gardiner told Express.co.uk: “The EU leaders now have a choice. Do they want Britain outside of the EU or do they want Britain inside the European Union causing maximum disruption to the plans of the Eurofederalists.

“And I think, essentially, they will need to make a decision on this. But if Britain is trapped and detained inside the European Union it should fight and resist all Eurofederalist measures.

“This should be the approach.”

Without any Brexit extension, Britain will leave the EU at 10pm on Friday with no deal.

Mr Gardiner insisted if Britain is forced to extend the Brexit process, Britain must halt the Eurofederalists project in its tracks and veto any attempts by French President Emmanuel Macron to push for further integration of the EU.

Prime Minister Theresa May will head to Brussels today for a crunch summit with EU leaders in hope of getting a delay to the Brexit process.

EU leaders are set to order Theresa May to accept a longer Brexit delay of up to 12 months.

European Council President Donald Tusk used a letter to EU leaders ahead of a gathering in Brussels on Wednesday to suggest a Brexit “rethink”.

Mr Tusk warned that the Prime Minister’s request for a short Brexit delay until June 30 at the latest was unrealistic.

He said: “Our experience so far, as well as the deep divisions within the House of Commons, give us little reason to believe that the ratification process can be completed by the end of June.”

The top eurocrat said a series of short extensions and more emergency summits would create too much uncertainty and could lead to a no-deal Brexit.

Mr Tusk asked for EU leaders to consider an “alternative, longer extension” and said Mrs May would have to agree that Britain will not disrupt EU business during the extension or seek to reopen negotiations in the hope of changing the withdrawal agreement.

But the French President prefers a longer hold-up to the UK’s departure, and could demand guarantees Britain stays out of EU decision making, in case a Brexiteer Prime Minister comes into power and causes disruption.

He could also ask for quarterly compliance checks, with Britain facing an earlier-than-expected exit if it was found to be interfering in decisions.

France’s position is being backed by Greece, Austria and Spain, who fear a new Conservative leader taking over from Mrs May this year will try to sabotage EU decision-making or completely destroy the long-running withdrawal agreement and eliminate the Irish backstop.