May should prevail

THE UK has spoken of boosting the Commonwealth and forging a free trade pact with India post-Brexit, but that will not be easy if Britain refuses to budge from its tough position on movement of people and visas. Prime Minister Theresa May’s “Project Brexit” – the UK’s planned withdrawal from the EU – is in disarray following the resignation of two top cabinet members, which also represented the greatest challenge to her authority yet.

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has always favoured a “hard Brexit” whereby the UK would cut all ties with the EU. The other cabinet member who quit, Brexit minister David Davis, has said it was impossible for him to defend May’s plans that would see the UK retaining close trade ties to the EU and subject to regulatory mechanisms.

There appears to be no immediate challenge to May’s leadership, as the hardliners simply do not have the numbers, and her Conservative Party seems set to weather this storm. However, the jolt has come at an inopportune moment as Britain is engaged in crucial negotiations with European officials ahead of an EU summit in Europe. The Brexit talks are being closely followed by the Indian government and more than 800 Indian companies based in the UK with annual revenues of nearly £50 billion.

The UK has spoken of boosting the Commonwealth and forging a free trade pact with India after Brexit, but that will not be easy if Britain refuses to budge from its tough position on movement of people and visas. The cold realities of business opportunities, and not historic nostalgia, will decide India’s future engagement with the UK.