Regardless of whether you support or oppose Brexit, there is no doubt that you’d prefer your negotiators to be both united and organised. In a piece for yesterday’s Independent, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson in the Lords, William Wallace, highlights some of the emerging tensions amongst Conservative ranks.
The Leave campaign united around reasserting British sovereignty; but they gave little thought to what that meant, or what continuing relations we would have with our neighbours if we left what has been the institutional framework for a broad partnership for 44 years.
Boris Johnson assured us that other EU countries would give us what we wanted; but he does not seem to know, even now, what exactly he does want. David Davis repeatedly said that economic interests would push the Germans to yield to British demands, even though he insisted that for us political arguments were more important.
And how are these issues manifesting themselves?
Key cabinet committees have met infrequently; officials, and some junior ministers, have resigned in frustration. The EU (Withdrawal) Bill, the key legislative aspect of Brexit, has been delayed by a month after Conservative MPs as well as others put down a list of amendments; it’s unlikely to emerge from Parliament until after Easter next year.
In short, in attempting to hold the Conservative Party together, Theresa May can’t go forward, and daren’t turn back. And all the time, the clock keeps ticking…
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One Comment
Thanks to Mark for drawing this excellent article to our attention. It is important that Lord Wallace writes about the Brexitshambles in Parliament and government. Many of us predicted this sad situation. Only stopping Brexit will allow government to serve the people as it should.