CHURCH leaders in Cumbria are urging people to join in prayer for reconciliation amid the Brexit debate.

European leaders yesterday agreed in principle to extend the deadline for departure until January 31, meaning the UK will not leave the EU on Thursday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson had hoped.

But a prayer hour is planned from 7pm to 8pm that day, with Christians across the county asked “to pray that healing, love and respect be demonstrated by all, to all”.

Details of the event were announced amid another day of political drama.

As well as the deadline departure being announced, Mr Johnson vowed to push on with his effort to secure a pre-Christmas general election after MPs rejected his third attempt to go to the country.

The Prime Minister failed to get the two-thirds majority he needed to secure an election on December 12 under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act (FTPA).

However, Mr Johnson said he would now come back with a “short” Bill setting aside the provisions of the FTPA which would require just a simple majority.

He said he would continue to press for a December 12 polling day - even though the Liberal Democrats and the SNP suggested at the weekend they could support a slightly earlier date of December 9.

As the national debate rages, in Cumbria on Thursday, congregations are being invited to light an Easter candle or three candles in a church – one for themselves, one for their neighbours and a third for those with whom they may disagree about Brexit.

In a joint statement, church leaders from across the denominations, said: “There is no doubt that, regardless of political standpoint, the Brexit process has been divisive, with opinions still polarised.

“As we approach the 31 October - what has been seen by many as a ‘Brexit milestone’ - we are charged as Christians to reach out in love to everyone, in a spirit of reconciliation, with a listening ear and a deep respect for others’ views.

“Our hope is that those with faith - and indeed those who may have no faith - are able to come together in their place of worship to pray for each other, their communities and the nation and to light three candles. The lighting of candles underlines that this is rooted in our Christian faith and our understanding that Jesus is the light of the world and that those who follow him will not walk in darkness but have the light of life.

“This is the beginning of a process of praying for reconciliation which together we will look to build upon in the coming weeks as the situation becomes clearer.”