May in a mess

Theresa May’s Brexit speech was one of the worst ever given by a British Prime Minister. Despite the conciliatory tone, she failed to give any substance to an actual negotiating position as asked for by the European Commission.

On the question of the Irish border she has two positions. She appealed for a solution that meant no “hard border” in Ireland. She then said it would be unacceptable to break up the UK’S own single market by creating a regulatory border along the Irish Sea. She then alienated the “hard Brexit” faction of her party by conceding that the UK will still have to abide by judgments from the European Court of Justice.

Mrs May’s wishlist has clashed with reality. All of the players from the Commission to the CBI gave her short shrift.

She has backed herself into a crisis of her own making. She can’t accept a customs union because the hard right will remove her. However, she can’t allow a situation where financial services in London lose passporting rights to EU markets. She is also bound by the DUP. Her indecisiveness and weakness means the spectre of “no deal” crops up.

The spin then will be to seek to blame everyone else other than those who are actually responsible, ie the Tories.

ALAN HINNRICHS Gillespie Terrace, Dundee