Shaun Riordan | The elections to the European Parliament in the UK were always something of a farce. Because of the inability of the British political class to decide what kind of Brexit it wanted, if indeed it wanted Brexit at all, British voters were forced to elect members to the parliament of a Union which, in theory at least, they will leave in five months. But they were also something of an anti-climax.
J.P. Marín- Arrese | The PM has dramatically shifted her Brexit plans. She no longer clings to forcefully maintaining them against all the odds. Her doomed proposal will suffer yet another rebuke from Parliament. Immediately, she will put on vote the ‘no deal’ option, betting it will sink deep enough to thoroughly disallow its supporters.
Theresa May wants to secure an orderly withdrawal from the EU (she was a lukewarm remainer in the Brexit referendum). But she also wants to hold her political party together. She does not want to be the Prime Minister which breaks the Conservative Party. Above all she does not want to be the new Ramsay MacDonald, the first Labour Prime Minister in 1924, who saved the national economy, but split the party.
Theresa May’s defeat in the British Parliament is historic with a gap of 230 votes (432 votes against 202 against). What can happen? Philippe Waechter from Ostrum AM have in mind a scheme with all the alternatives. Can Theresa May still be credible after her terrible defeat? We can imagine general elections but who will take the 10 Downing Street?
Julia Pastor | From an English father and a Ghanaian mother, Afua Hirsch is a journalist, writer, lawyer and activist for human rights. Her first book, “Brit (ish): On race, identity and belonging”, published current year, has stirred UK historic consciousness by exploring the origin of the identity crisis that the country is suffering, and which, no doubt, has its reflection on the winding road of Brexit.
Ultimately, May’s deal represents a compromise of the vague objectives for Brexit. However, Brexit has never been about compromise and with both sides of the debate envisaging different outcomes to the process, neither appear about to make concessions now. In this context, analysts at AXA IM continue to see the ‘most likely’ outcome as a compromise, similar in substance to the current Agreement.
The Conversation | A draft agreement on the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union has been reached between representatives of both sides, alongside an Outline Political Declaration on a future relationship. It remains to be seen whether the British government is able to survive, and gain parliamentary support for the deal. Here, though, academic experts consider what adoption of the 585-page draft Withdrawal Agreement would mean. Read about its implications for Northern Ireland, citizens, sovereignty, the transition, the UK economy and the EU.
Despite the initial euphoria after an agreement was reached with Brussels on the UK separation from the EU, this was not easy for PM Theresa May. This morning, four resignations on her cabinet in just a couple of hours, meant the biggest blow to May’s leadership, and therefore sterling.
Israel Rafalovich | Last week’s summit was seen as the deadline for the European Union and the United Kingdom agreeing on a deal. Now this date has passed and time is running out, although theoretically there is another chance to reach a deal at the summit in December.
J. P. Marín-Arrese | Faced with a humiliating snub from Parliament, Ms May had to drop plans for going ahead with a hard Brexit, whatever the price. As she has suddenly switched to a confusing soft-exit proposal, Mr Davis wisely refused to carry it through. His resignation shows to what extent the UK has become cornered with no conceivable way out at hand. Johnson’s resignation shows the open rift and represents a direct challenge to Ms May’s leadership.