For Theresa May, Still at Odds With Parliament, the Brexit Walls Are Closing In

Being attacked by the Sun is basically the equivalent of being attacked by a guy in a clown suit who smells bad and has been drinking too much.

Couldn't they bring in some children's daycare professionals to help?

Jefferson Davis, a rabid racist pro-slavery fanatic at the start of the Civil War, was offering freedom to any slave who fought for the Confederacy towards the end of the war. Perhaps the analogy is inexact, but it does hint at May's desperate reach for Labor's votes. I don't know if Davis's appeal had any success--a very tiny one if any I imagine. But May's Hail Mary will surely land short.

The looming economic self-harm caused by Britain’s Brexit conundrum is alarming, not just to Brits, but to most observers. At first glance, there is such a simple corrective action available - a new national referendum that would very likely avert this train wreck - that the almost zombie-like lack of leadership shown by Ms. May and Mr. Corbyn makes one wonder if Mr. Putin is putting something in their food. Looking a bit deeper, however, there is a huge problem facing all “developed” nations that contributes mightily to this paralysis: the growing gap between the rich and the poor and the alarming erosion of the middle classes in the face of globalization and slave labor wages in poor countries. To this problem, too, there is an available and fair corrective: a new system of global free-trade available to any country willing to agree to strict, science-based environmental restraints and living wages. Alas, our fears of breaking free of the sedative-like properties of economic and political dogma are likely to win the day.

The looming economic self-harm caused by Britain’s Brexit conundrum is alarming, not just to Brits, but to most observers. At first glance, there is such la simple corrective action available - a new national referendum that would very likely avert this train wreck - that the almost zombie-like lack of leadership shown by Ms. May and Mr. Corbyn makes one wonder if Mr. Putin is putting something in their food. Looking a bit deeper, however, there is a huge problem facing all “developed” nations that contributes mightily to this paralysis: the growing gap between the rich and the poor and the alarming erosion of the middle classes in the face of globalization and slave labor wages in poor countries. To this problem, too, there is an available and fair corrective: a new system of global free-trade available to any country willing to agree to strict, science-based environmental restraints and living wages. Alas, our fears of breaking free of the sedative-like properties of economic and political dogma are likely to win the day.

Britain is a good example for us - when trade is feared then the future is bleak indeed.

A revocation of the Article 50 notice of withdrawal seems to be the best option. Revocation would not affect the referendum results and would allow more time for negotiations.

My favorite story this morning (in another paper) is about the UK hedge fund manager named Odey who donated some thousands of pounds to the Leave campaign, and since then made millions shorting Sterling after Leave he won. Now he's investing long Sterling on the basis that he doesn't think Parliament will let the UK will leave the EU, after all.

The political leadership of Britain and the U.S. are perfecting the art of damaging their respective national interests.

What happens if the British Parliament doesnt reach an agreement till April. Will there be a automatic hard Brexit or will they stay in the EU. Wasn't really clear in the Artical and since none of the three options (Mays Deal, hard Brexit or stay in the EU) seems to have a Majority. I think them not deciding anything is the most likely scenario.

‘Dogged and Determined’, the same might be said for another leader and a wall he wishes to erect. Not necessarily the right traits in the wrong case. And care is called for. Suppose a hard Brexit happens — why wouldn’t Scotland run another referendum towards autonomy ? If a hard border and much inconvenience and economic turmoil comes about on the Emerald Isle, might not Northern Ireland also take a page from the Scots and petition independence in order to align itself as a more sovereign entity towards the EU as the Republic of Ireland remains it ? Wither a rump UK.

We are in crisis. The country is hopelessly divided and the way out as of today is unclear. Mrs. May may be dogged and determined but she has lost all credibility with the support of neither the Remainers nor the Leavers. A mess brought to us by her own Tory Party's internal machinations she has boxed herself into a corner. The situation is worse because we have an opposition party which is wholly ineffective. Jeremy Corbyn is a left wing dreamer who has been in Parliament for decades and has achieved precisely nothing. The suggestion that he can lead the UK anywhere but further down a rabbit hole is wholly delusional. He will never be Prime Minister even if he is able to topple the Government and trigger another election. We need to watch the quieter players - Dominic Grieve, Keir Starmer and hope that John Bercow continues to give Parliament its rightful place in this process. One thing seems clear - there is an increasing realisation that crashing out is untenable. I venture to suggest that Parliament will vote, after rancorous and nasty debate, to withdraw the Article 50 notice while the UK holds a second referendum. Armed with facts instead of mendacious slogans then voters should be able to make an informed choice. Let's give that a shot.

Between May’s Brexit debacle destroying the UK economy and the DJT shutdown destroying American democratic system......Putin must be laughing all the way to the bank. Just goes to show how long term planning can really pay off. The Russians have been working on affecting our society for years. Mission accomplished....

England is heading off a cliff either way. A hard exit isolates the country from the EU and a new vote to remain tears it apart internally. The only hope is for Brussels to extend the deadline, which will only kick the can down the road while demonstrating just how impotent the country actually is. The sun is finally setting on the British Empire.

Thank you Stephen for an interesting article. I can perhaps shed a little light on the Brexit process without taking too long. Here in Scotland we had an Independence Referendum, now before that the Devolved Scottish Government published a 900 page document, detailing... well everything from rates of Scottish pound to GBP etc, and we lost the Referendum possibly because of that. But it was the correct thing to do. Now Brexit by contrast had no document, no detailed synopsis... zero, zilch. That enabled those on both sides to sound bite and prevaricate to send UK into the situation Stephen describes in the article. That and the fact that the EU Withdrawal Document Article 50 Paragraph 3, states on 30/3/2019, ALL Treaties and Agreements between EU and UK shall cease in entirety. I sincerely doubt if anyone actually read it before they signed it, the Belfast Agreement aka Good Friday Agreement brokered by Senator George Mitchell and EU’s Michel Barnier stating no hard border on the island of Ireland has been enshrined in International Law since 1998.. it’s a mess.

"But her room to maneuver is rapidly shrinking." No. She never had this "room to maneuver" she and almost all players in UK seem to assume even now. - "Brexit" is "automatic" legal consequence of triggering Art 50 by UK and expiration of 2-years term coming soon. Nothing else. It does NOT depend on any other factors, like resolutions of institutions in UK, decisions of government, referendums, General Elections, negotiations, press campaigns and what Ms. May, Mr Corbyn, Mr. Juncker and all the rest are talking all day long. - Only the terms of Brexit can be ruled by a deal - but only by a finished deal. Such deal is also NOT finished by resolutions of institutions in UK, negotiations, decisions of government, referendums, General Elections, press campaigns and what Ms. May, Mr Corbyn and all the rest are talking but by a treaty agreed by a qualified majority of 27states and consent of EU parliament. So UK can desire or decide what ever they want - if there is no consent by all other players this will be out of reach anyway. - As far as I know any "room to maneuver" exists within the limits of achievable solutions only. Ms. May can even hammer out Plan X, Y or Z - without consent of EU these plans are nothing but wishlists. This had been the unchanged "room to maneuver" right from the start but it still seems to be completely disregarded in almost all debates in UK. Because it´s apparently crunch time Ms. May should make this clear at last. But I fear it´s too late.

Theresa May should be warned that under no circumstances will the European Union reopen negotiations for a new Brexit Deal.

"Prime Minister Theresa May often puts off critical decisions over Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, or Brexit, hoping to wear down opponents through doggedness and determination." A British tradition is muddling through, make it up as you go along. That is what she has been doing. It is also likely to be the larger story of Brexit. "No deal" is the subject of horror stories to frighten people, always pushing a plan. Not one plan, any plan, always it is a fear campaign. Well, very likely there will be no deal, and the British will then muddle through. How? There is a lot of discretion in the customs booth on the border. They'll for awhile just wave stuff through. Keep it moving, and muddle. Over time, they'll adjust to find ways to enforce more, and draw more customs revenue. Muddle. No, it won't make sense in some logical scheme. That is the method.