Last week was quite possibly one of the most dramatic in the process of Britain leaving Europe so far, with Theresa May’s proposed Brexit Deal rejected by MPs in the biggest defeat a Prime Minister has ever had. The following day, however, May’s government survived a no-confidence vote on the 16th January, demonstrating that although many of her own MPs would not back her deal, they were committed to backing her. Despite Theresa May remaining in power, there is an increasing possibility of a No-Deal Scenario, if a deal cannot be voted on successfully before the 29th March when Britain is due to exit the EU following the Article 50 clause. The divide within the Tory party may partially be what is preventing a Brexit Deal, that everyone agrees on, being decided upon: with the split between pro and anti-Brexiters being particularly prominent.
Despite Theresa May remaining in power, there is an increasing possibility of a No-Deal Scenario
For many, the hope is that May will alter the current Brexit Deal, and thus a second vote on this deal could then take place within the House of Commons, with the hope this time that more MPs would back it after some alterations. However, if tweaking this deal is not an option, then a full renegotiation may have to occur, despite this option being the lengthier and more time-prevailing version, which is a concern as Britain is set to leave the EU in just over a couple of months’ time. If an extension of Article 50 was permitted, then it is possible that another referendum could occur, however, it is unclear if this would actually change the outcome, and even if it did there is the problem that those who vote to leave a second time would argue that a third referendum would then need to be held in order to get a fair and accurate result. If an extension of Article 50 could be granted, then a General Election could also happen, which consequently has the possibility of Labour then getting into power. If Labour were to win, the process involving Britain exiting the EU would have to be negotiated all over again. On a smaller scale, another vote of no-confidence on Theresa May and her government could be proposed by Labour, however, this vote may result in exactly the same outcome as this past week has shown, and therefore leaving Parliament back to square one.
If an extension of Article 50 was permitted, then it is possible that another referendum could occur
May’s current actions have involved speaking to numerous EU Leaders in the past week, such as the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, which she will continue to do in the hope of coming up with a Deal that all are happy with. However, it is not her communications with the other EU Leaders that have caused controversy, but rather it is the lack of communication that May and Corbyn have had on Brexit, since Corbyn is refusing to discuss the matter with May until she says that Britain will not leave the EU without a deal in place already. Therefore, without these discussions in place between the PM and the leader of the opposition, it appears increasingly difficult for a deal to be agreed upon that will receive a majority when voted on in the house of commons. The urge to come up with a deal is becoming increasingly prevalent, as to exit the EU with No Deal would be truly detrimental to Britain’s future.
The urge to come up with a deal is becoming increasingly prevalent
It is not just the recent rejection of May’s Brexit Deal that has caused distress regarding Brexit, but also the recent footage that has emerged of abuse hurled at MPs and Political Commentators, including Tory MP Anna Soubry. Soubry has been a consistent campaigner for a second EU Referendum and has subsequently received abuse from far-right protestors, most recently being called a fascist after a live-tv interview on her way to parliament.
As current events stand, Brexit is continuing to cause further division within the government and subsequently the country. Therefore, a deal should be implemented with the intention of uniting the country closer, through an agreement that appeals to everyone – not just one that will cause increasing ostracization.
