Silvia Merler, (2018), “The Brexit withdrawal agreement”, Bruegel, 19 Νοεμβρίου
On November 14th the UK government cabinet approved the draft text of the withdrawal agreement, the deal reached between EU and UK negotiators. The decision was followed the next day by the resignations of several members of Parliament. We review the first reactions in the blogosphere.
Martin Wolf writes that Theresa May’s terrible Brexit deal has united the UK in horror. For Remainers, it is evident that this quasi-permanent halfway house, which will keep the UK inside the EU’s customs area and divide Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK indefinitely, would be far worse than continued EU membership. For Leavers, it is equally evident that this very same halfway house would be far worse than a clean break. Britain cannot at present resolve its relationship with the continent. This is the one clear truth. Comparisons with the 1956 Suez crisis do not get close to the mark. Wolf thinks that this is a far more significant mess than that.
Martin Sandbu disagrees, and thinks that May enters Brexit endgame from position of strength; there are no alternatives to the prime minister’s plan, and no time to find them. In a country as extremely polarised as the Brexit referendum showed the UK to be, a real compromise will necessarily displease virtually everyone. But precisely because of polarisation, only a compromise unloved by all can conceivably be made to stick, unlike any policy that satisfies one side at the cost of alienating the other.
Σχετικές Αναρτήσεις
- John Springford, (2018), «Brexit deal done – now for the hard part», Centre for European Reform, 15 Νοεμβρίου
- Charlie Cooper, (2018), «10 things you need to know about the Brexit deal», politico.eu, 15 Νοεμβρίου