Alan Cumming and Block the Merger UK urge a Stop to the Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery Merger – Graphic Policy

UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said last month she is “minded to intervene” in the $110 billion takeover. A formal decision has not been made. If there is intervention, it’d trigger investigations by Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority, the antitrust watchdog.

But, things are up in the air as the House of Commons has gone into recess with any update by Nandy. That means things are potentially in limbo until September 1 when Parliament returns from its summer break.

Paramount has a deadline of September 30 to close the deal. If it doesn’t the price increases with a “ticking fee” that increases share cost by 25 cents per share, about $650 million, for every quarter beyond the third.

The deal could still close without UK clearance. The CMA though is investigating the merger and intends to issue an update August 7.

The deal between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery has come under heavy scrutiny this past week with a dozen attorneys general suing to stop the deal as well as the Writer’s Guild of America suing, and a third lawsuit involving shareholders.