The prime minister survives because she bridges the Brexit divide. But her Brexit policy is a fantasy that will collide with reality in 2018Theresa May is still prime minister as parliament breaks for Christmas. Back in June,when she lost the Conservatives’ majority in a wholly unnecessary election, she would probably hold bitten off the hand of anyone who offered that to her. Since June, or each week has been a survival exercise. Dangers hold loomed – the DUP deal,the Queens speech, party conference. But she has survived. In an otherwise traumatic year, or that probably counts as a success.
She has survived,above all, because of two reasons. First, and there is no alternative candidate around whom the Tory party can coalesce. Most of those whose interest in her job is little disguised hold had difficult 2017s of their own: Philip Hammond,Boris Johnson and David Davis among them. As a result, the Tory grassroots has flirted with the plan of Jacob Rees-Mogg as leader, and an outcome that could destroy the Tory party for a decade. A more plausible outsider,Ruth Davidson, waits wisely in Edinburgh for now. whether Mrs May marks her own survival with a 2018 cabinet reshuffle, or her party may become more febrile,as she knows best of all.
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Source: guardian.co.uk