The hard way out?
When Theresa May outlined “her vision of post-brexit Britain” at the Conservative conference, the party faithful greeted it with “rapturous applause”, said the FT. The outside world was less impressed by her plan, which, by prioritising sovereignty and immigration controls, seemed to “imply a clean break with the single market” – and, by triggering Article 50 early next year, would see Britain out of the EU in 2019. The reaction in financial markets was “punishing”: the pound fell to its lowest level since 1985 ( see page 55). Foreign leaders were “appalled” by the Tories’ xenophobic rhetoric ( see page 22). And May’s own Cabinet is reportedly split between supporters of a “soft” or a “hard” Brexit (inside or outside the single market). Chancellor Philip Hammond has been attacked for talking down the UK’S chances of getting a good EU deal, said Ben Riley-smith in The Daily Telegraph. One cabinet colleague said that Hammond, a Remain voter, should “watch his back”. Friends of Hammond, however, are furious with what they call the “nonsense and garbage” coming from cabinet Leavers about the strength of Britain’s hand.
Hammond has a point, said Charles Grant in The Guardian. May is ruling out options short of a full Brexit which would be beneficial to the UK. And be in no doubt: Europe “wants a hard Brexit to hurt”, even if that means German and French exports to the UK take a hit. The remaining EU member states do not want Marine Le Pen, and other right-wing populists across the Continent, to say, “look at the Brits, they are doing fine outside the EU, let’s follow them there”. The referendum result “has to be honoured”, said Jonathan Freedland, in the same paper. But the voters did not demand “the most extreme rupture possible”. May is recasting the narrow 52% to 48% vote of 23 June as “the unambiguous stance of the great British public” in favour of an act of “national selfharm”. She should be doing everything she can to seek a Norway-style arrangement, allowing singlemarket membership along with “some flexibility” on the free movement of workers. “Instead, the Government keeps banging its fist on the table and insisting on the worst possible deal for Britain.”
“Damn the Bremoaners,” said the Daily Mail – and their whingeing, defeatist plot to “subvert the will of the British people”. Who really thinks that the referendum was not a vote for much lower immigration? I doubt the “Euro-resistance” will succeed, said John Rentoul in The Independent – whether it’s MPS pushing for a soft Brexit or lawyers trying to stop the Government beginning Brexit talks without parliamentary approval. “Theresa May holds all the cards.” Negotiating treaties is a matter for Government, not Parliament. “Once Article 50 has been triggered, HMS Britain is on the slipway and there is nothing that can stop it hitting the water two years later.” The deal will come before MPS for ratification, but then they’ll face an “all-or-nothing choice” – accept it, or be left with no deal at all. “We are leaving the EU on May’s terms and there is nothing anyone can do about it.”