Mrs May has little choice over going

Theresa May bows out of British politics the way she has run things: with little explanation. Yesterday, a statement mutually agreed with the 1922 Committee revealed that the Prime Minister will meet with Sir Graham Brady in June, after the second reading of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, and decide a timetable for a leadership election.

Why didn’t Mrs May announce this herself? Where was the compelling message of duty and sacrifice? She has always eschewed storytelling, perhaps believing that actions speak louder than words. But politics requires communication. Mrs May couldn’t explain why she stayed in the job after the 2017 election. She refused to say if she would vote for Brexit given a second chance. And it is in keeping with her character to talk in terms of timetables rather than a definitive exit.

As to whether or not to go, she has little choice. There is no point in Labour giving her too much in the Brexit talks, and every concession she hands Jeremy Corbyn loses more Tory votes for the Agreement in the Commons. The Leave coalition has turned against her. The Conservatives might well be humiliated in the Euro elections, which is presumably why she cannot step down this minute – the Tories don’t want to start their leadership contest on Monday, just days before a hammering at the polls – but she should have resigned months ago in any case. The history books will record with astonishment that her Agreement suffered the largest defeat of a Government in history, back in January, and yet she clung on for another six months.

That’s assuming she will indeed step down this summer. If there are any doubts it is because the Prime Minister has gone back on her word so many times, and the Conservatives have backed away from action so often, that one could be forgiven for asking, “Can this really be it?” Many will only believe so when they finally see her get into a car and drive away to Buckingham Palace.

Whoever replaces Mrs May must learn from her mistakes. The next leader must take a clear proleave line on Brexit and stick to it. They have to commit themselves to a philosophical position that answers Labour’s ideology. And they must be someone who can explain what motivates them and make the case for what they are doing with conviction. The country hasn’t the patience for another enigma.