Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

OnDoutside

(19,906 posts)
Fri Mar 22, 2019, 05:36 AM Mar 2019

Brexit : Just weeks from mayhem as EU sets ultimatum for UK

Just weeks from mayhem as EU sets ultimatum for UK

Threat of a no-deal Brexit remains very much alive. European leaders growing increasingly frustrated as political chaos in Britain raises risk of no deal. Chancellor Merkel said if there was a no-deal Brexit there would have to be a hard Border in Ireland



The threat of a no-deal Brexit remains very much alive after the EU’s superpowers wrangled over setting a point of no return for British Prime Minister Theresa May.

The UK’s exit from the European Union will not now happen in seven days’ time after a two-tier delay was eventually agreed. Mrs May now has until May 22 to plan an orderly Brexit if she can finally get support for her deal next week. However, should the House of Commons reject it for a third time the UK would only have until April 12 to decide whether to crash out or begin preparations for holding European Parliament elections.

Mrs May was shut out of a meeting of EU leaders last night as they rowed over how to stave off a cliff-edge scenario. Germany’s Angela Merkel argued for flexibility while French President Emmanuel Macron took a hard-line stance. During a private meeting, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told Mrs May that it is now the UK’s responsibility to end the uncertainty. Speaking to German journalists, Chancellor Merkel said if there was a no-deal Brexit there would have to be a hard Border in Ireland. “We’re trying to avoid that,” she said.

snip

Over the course of the evening, France and Belgium are understood to have argued for the UK to be forced out of the EU before a May 9 summit in Romania, to celebrate the "renewal" of Europe. This led to the option of an unconditional extension to April 12, the final date on which the UK can opt to take part in European Parliament elections. It will then be up to Westminster to decide to either crash out or take part in those elections in order to get a longer extension. Mrs May wants to avoid a longer extension at all costs as it raises the chances of her being bounced into either a second referendum or even a general election.

The news for the prime minister wasn't much better back in London, where MPs were still furiously arguing over the next steps. Remain-supporting ministers were reported to have told Mrs May they are prepared to resign unless she offers a free vote on a backbench move to prevent the UK leaving without a deal. A cross-party group of MPs is today expected to table an amendment to force her to accept a longer extension to Article 50 if her deal fails.

The amendment, to be put to the vote next week, will mean that parliament, rather than the prime minister, will take control if Mrs May's deal is again defeated in the House of Commons.
4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
 

beachbum bob

(10,437 posts)
1. Putin has never been so happy, chaos in America and england, his 2 greatest foes and only
Fri Mar 22, 2019, 07:10 AM
Mar 2019

cost a few millions to achieve what no war could.

OnDoutside

(19,906 posts)
2. I wonder is he so happy ? I suspect he knows that while he has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams,
Fri Mar 22, 2019, 07:24 AM
Mar 2019

the Dems are coming (!), and there will be a reckoning. His best hope is to delay this at least another 4 years, so I expect him to attack like never before in 2020. However, my gut feeling is that there will be an overwhelming Dem win, so his attacks will hopefully fall short. Once the US is back in Democratic control, only then can the fightback against populism fully get underway. 2020 can't come fast enough !

 

beachbum bob

(10,437 posts)
3. at the moment Putin doesn't care what may happen years out, and the effect of trump
Fri Mar 22, 2019, 07:34 AM
Mar 2019

may last a generation based on federal judges being appointed. Putin has pretty much create chaos with little cost to him.

OnDoutside

(19,906 posts)
4. Respectfully, I disagee, Bob. His rollout of screwing western democracies has been done over time,
Fri Mar 22, 2019, 09:06 AM
Mar 2019

it's not just from 2015. I honestly don't believe he thought he would have succeeded in 2016, just o create enough of a split that Hillary would have been bogged down with problems at home, to be worried about issues abroad. He overshot his ambitions. He knows that the Democrats are going to get him back, once they have a Dem President, and he just has to be worried from 2 years time.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Brexit : Just weeks from ...