LONDON: When this is published only 96 days will be left for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. But the Theresa May government’s plans are still incomprehensible to the citizens. Ministers within the government are floating miscellaneous ideas and opinions. The new Brexit Secretary, Steve Barclay has said the possibility of a “no deal” with EU has increased and businesses should start preparing for this. The £4billion being spent on preparations seem to confirm this as an operational priority. The Department for Exiting the European Union has updated the technical notices and has omitted the word “unlikely” from the possibility of a no deal. Andrea Leadsom has speculated that if an exit-deal cannot be agreed upon, a managed alternative, a no-deal could be agreed on, something “that looks at a more minimalist approach”. Leadsom is the first minister to acknowledge that no-deal is a possibility. Lord Anthony Bamford, chairman of JCB England’s largest manufacturer of construction equipment, has written a letter to the Telegraph newspaper, confirming that in his experience dating from 1975, “there is nothing to fear from trading on WTO terms”. Bamford says businesses and ports will adapt to the new regulatory landscape.
The European Commission has also intensified preparedness for 29 March 2019, the “Brexit Day”, by implementing their No Deal Contingency Action Plan that includes 14 measures in areas they consider may cause disruption, such as air transport, customs, financial services and climate policy. There is a measure to allow British hauliers to transport goods into the EU till the end of 2019, provided Britain reciprocates the measure.
Meanwhile, the proposal for a second referendum or People’s Vote has been dubbed as a “losers’ vote”. Britain’s opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn of Labour called for a vote of no confidence in Theresa May, but refused to call it against the government. Later he allegedly called May a “stupid woman”. Home Secretary Sajid Javid launched his skills based immigration plan, which is more relaxed than the Prime Minister’s. Some say this is in preparation for a leadership bid. Donald Tusk, Chairman of the European Commission tweeted, “Today we need leaders who understand that their role is not only having technocratic skill and the ability to stay in power.”
The Irish government continues to back the backstop—the provision of maintaining an open border in Ireland in case of a no-deal Brexit. Boris Johnson has been cleared by a panel of legal experts of his alleged breach of Tory rules about his August comments relating to burqa wearing women in the interest of free speech. Conservative Cabinet Ministers including wannabe PMs have been entertaining or lobbying MPs under the auspices of season’s greetings. The Christmas Parliamentary recess has now begun and the Meaningful Vote to put May’s deal to Parliament is now scheduled for 15 January.
Meanwhile, Corbyn would push ahead with Brexit and seek to renegotiate the terms if he won a snap election next year, he said on Saturday, in a blow to party supporters who want a second referendum. The 69-year-old told the Guardian newspaper “you’d have to go back and negotiate, and see what the timetable would be,” when asked what he would do if he won an early election.
Britain is due to leave the EU on 29 March. Prime Minister Theresa May has struck a withdrawal agreement with Brussels but was forced to pull a parliamentary vote on it last week after admitting she would lose by a large margin. A new election is not due until 2022 but one could be called if May fails to get her primary policy through Parliament.
(With agency inputs)