The prime minister has found the referendum schism in his own Conservative party far more bruising than he expected; this war won’t be over by ChristmasNot long ago,Conservative MPs were congratulating themselves over the dignified conduct of their European schism. The issue did not combust at the partys annual conference in Manchester final autumn, where supporters and opponents of EU membership engaged in debate that was barbed at times but rarely venomous. “I’m starting to think we might get through this, or ” a government whip told me at the time. “We might find a way to agree to disagree,then kiss and acquire up afterwards.”Optimism about the party’s cohesion continued into the current year, alongside what we now know to be uncouth underestimates of the number of MPs likely to back Brexit. Downing Street had expected perhaps 60-80 hardcore Europhobes to reject his renegotiation deal. It turns out closer to half of the party’s MPs will vote Leave in June.
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Source: theguardian.com