High time Tories end the Brexit in-fighting
OF all the extraordinary coalitions formed during the tortuous Brexit divorce, the alliance between the CBI and TUC surely ranks among the most bizarre.
Normally, these two organisations – one representing business, the other unions – are perpetually at daggers drawn.
But we live in peculiar times. Yesterday, they united to warn Theresa May over No Deal, claiming the economic shock would be ‘felt by generations’. While the Mail has never bought into ‘Project Fear’ hysteria, genuine anxieties build about leaving the EU without an agreement.
After Mrs May spoke for millions of longsuffering Britons by telling posturing MPs to stop navel-gazing over Brexit, Commons support for her flawed, but sensible, agreement ebbed. Short of a miracle, it stands a snowball’s chance in hell of passing a fresh vote before March 29.
Yes, ardent Tory Brexiteers fantasise about departing without a deal, but that, assuredly, would plunge Britain into turmoil.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister cajoled European leaders to offer a short no-stringsattached extension after warning No Deal would be disastrous for the floundering eurozone. A sliver of optimism was emerging after Europe blinked first – buying her more time to break the impasse in Britain.
Fingers crossed, that may cool passions. Tory Remainers threatening to topple the Government to avoid a clean break, and Leavers doing the same to avoid delaying or cancelling Brexit, might finally compromise behind her plan.
Meanwhile, might it be too much to expect Labour to stop playing political games with Britain’s future? Hardly a hair’s breadth exists between their position and that of Downing Street – only Labour’s locks us into a permanent customs union.
It’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that opposition MPs – in their lust for power – are as guilty as Tory hardliners of refusing to act in the national interest.
It is imperative Tories snap out of their self-obsession. If not careful, they will unwittingly let Jeremy Corbyn into No10.