The time for Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May and a Brexit deal is becoming increasingly scarce. A meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker again brought no breakthrough on Wednesday. The talks were „constructive,“ they said, but the question of Ireland remains unresolved. Domestically, the pressure on May increases.
„The two leaders agreed that the talks were constructive and instructed their two teams to examine the options in a positive spirit,“ a joint statement said after the meeting.
In the next few days you will take stock again. The timetable is tight and it is historically important „to guide the EU and Britain towards a deep and unique future partnership“. In February, they want to meet again. May was more positive about the state of affairs in a TV statement and said, „We’ve made progress.“
„Backstop“ remains a point of controversy
Once again, the talk was about „backstop“, the emergency solution that guarantees that the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland will remain open in any case. It was discussed in the discussions on how to replace this „backstop“ in the future. Both sides reaffirmed their opposition to a hard border between the two countries. But movement was not recognizable in their positions. Rather, May confirmed in Sender Sky their demand for „legally binding changes to the backstop, which ensure that he can not apply indefinite.“ That is precisely what the EU rejects.
Already in the run-up to the meeting the expectations were low. The President of the Commission said immediately that he did not expect a breakthrough. Juncker had already made this clear on Tuesday, while British officials suggested movement in the talks. When asked what assessment was correct, Juncker said curtly: „mine“.
Juncker explained in the run-up to the meeting that he had a cut on his face while shaving. „I am telling you this because I do not want you to believe that Ms. May is responsible for this injury,“ he said at a press conference with Slovenian President Borut Pahor even before the meeting with May.
Independent group gets bigger
For May’s ruling party, but also the opposition around Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, it is meanwhile also domestic policy. On Monday, several Labor MPs split to form an independent group. On Wednesday morning, then also joined three Tory MPs.
Heidi Allen, Sarah Wollaston and Anna Soubry announced their decision in a letter to Prime Minister and Tory chief May. The dispute over Brexit had changed the party and „undermined all efforts to modernize it,“ they explained. Politicians need a quick, radical reform, „and we are determined to make our contribution“. May expressed her regret, but said she would „stick to a reasonable, moderate and patriotic policy.“
Demolition puts Torys under pressure in Parliament
Meanwhile, the Tories have no longer a majority in the lower house, but rely on the votes of the ten deputies of the Northern Irish Protestant DUP. The fact that the split-off in the opposition could be dangerous for the head of government, the Guardian had already speculated on Tuesday. A Toll by Wollaston also seemed like a warning shot: „Soon there will be nothing left to address voters from the political center.“
Similarly, the seven Labor breakaways Chris Leslie, Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Mike Gapes and Ann Coffey argued on Monday: „The Labor Party we joined, for which we fought and to the We believe that it is no longer the Labor Party of today. „They are confronted with anti-Semitic tendencies in the main opposition party, but above all with the lurching Brexit course. Another MP, Joan Ryan, turned his back on the party on Tuesday night.
A majority of Labor members are against Brexit and want a second referendum on remaining in the EU, but Corbyn resists it. He believes that analyzed the German „time“ to implement his „socialist policy better outside the EU than within a corset of EU rules“. In addition, Corbyn has never made a secret of his aversion to the common market and the EU. The intra-party agreement, which states that Labor should campaign for a second referendum, unless it succeeds in forcing a new election, does little for Corbyn.
Hardliners set course at Tory’s
But the decay phenomena are, as was visible again on Wednesday, not limited to Labor, also the Torys offer in Gezerre to the Brexit a sometimes shameful picture. The hardliners around Jacob Rees-Mogg, who prefer „No Deal“, have gained the upper hand and drive May ahead of them. Parliament clearly rejected the Brexit that it negotiated with the EU, and since then it has been unable to find a course.
Corbyn for talks in Brussels
Even the counted Labor leader will now hold talks in Brussels. Corbyn will meet EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Thursday. It is unlikely that this will change the position of the EU. In any case, if no agreement can be found, the UK is directly heading for an unregulated Brexit on March 29 – which will probably have a huge domestic impact on the two big parties.
