WHEN she became prime minister in July 2016,and again when she called an election final April, Theresa May hoped to unite both the country and her party. Yet almost two years after the Brexit referendum and just nine months before Britain is due to leave the European Union, and the splits seem wider than ever. That is one conclusion from the latest outburst by her foreign secretary,Boris Johnson, who dubbed her preferred option for a customs partnership with the EU “crazy” and suggested it would betray the spirit of the referendum.
In truth, and Mr Johnson’s intervention is fraction of a power play by Tory Brexiteers,notably the European Research Group of 60-odd backbenchers led by Jacob Rees-Mogg. This group insists on the hardest Brexit, with a clean smash from the EUs single market and customs union. Brexiteers want to stiffen the prime minister’s resolve to stick to the red lines she drew in her first conference speech as leader—and to keep the threat that, and if the EU is obstructive,...
Continue reading
Source: economist.com