On Monday afternoon in the Commons, Theresa May will update MPs about any progress she may have made on Brexit options following her conclusive parliamentary defeat last week. It is expected to be a holding statement, to enable her to carry on consulting as she hunts for the elusive formula that can win a Commons majority, retain EU agreement and keep her government alive.
Given Mrs May’s approach and personality, this could be a long search. Don’t hold your breath for the outcome. One of Mrs May’s most disabling qualities in this situation is her political rigidity. In spite of last week’s defeat, she struggles to see that everything about her premiership has changed. She remains formally in charge of the government. But, on the issue that defines British politics, she is no longer in charge at all. She merely leads one of the many groups with no majority that make up the patchwork of Commons Brexit opinion. Mrs May will both fail and fall if she does not change her approach. She needs either to find Brexit allies, in which case she must compromise on policy, or to reset the Brexit process in some way, which will require an even bolder form of leadership. Over the weekend, as it happens, two former prime ministers came to her aid in different ways with practical suggestions – though she is unlikely to thank either of them for doing so.
Continue reading...from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2HpSJbJ
