Raab resigns, McVey quits: May’s Brexit ‘deal’ throws her government over a cliff

Theresa May: Staring over the edge of the cliff.

It should have been a moment of triumph – the announcement of an agreement with the 27 nations remaining in the EU over the manner of the UK’s departure from that bloc. Instead, Theresa May’s government is on the point of collapse.

Dominic Raab.

Dominic Raab – the man who, as Brexit Secretary, admitted he had no idea how important the Dover-Calais crossing was to the UK’s trade – resigned this morning (November 15), saying the deal agreed by Mrs May – not by him – could lead to the break-up of the UK as it offers Northern Ireland special treatment, and makes it impossible to negotiate trade deals with other countries as we will remain in a customs union with the EU indefinitely.

Esther McVey: She was probably glad to have an excuse to quit as Work and Pensions secretary.

Esther McVey has also quit, saying the deal does not offer the Brexit that the Conservative government had promised.

And condemnation of the deal in Parliament – when Mrs May tried to persuade MPs to support it – was almost universal.

Labour opposes it because it does not meet any of that party’s six tests.

Labour’s pro-Brexit rebels won’t support it because they see it as a capitulation to all of the EU’s demands.

The DUP can’t support it because of the way it addresses the Northern Ireland border issue – creating fears of a reunification vote with the Republic of Ireland.

The SNP won’t support it because the deal doesn’t mention Scotland once.

Tory Brexiters won’t support it because they say Mrs May lied about what the deal would do – she has betrayed them.

Jacob Rees-Mogg even voiced an intention to trigger a “no confidence” vote against Theresa May during the debate in the Commons – in harsh contrast to her own appeal for support.

And government resignations are still happening. Three MPs in minor positions have also resigned, including Suella Braverman, who had been vociferous in support of the Tory government’s Brexit policy. Northern Ireland office junior minister Shailesh Vara has also gone.

Mrs May is now in an impossible position.

Her deal with the EU has been agreed – she can’t go back on it.

But the Parliamentary numbers are against her. She cannot win the vote.

Her own leadership is at issue and she may face a challenge within days.

And her government’s ability to act in the national interest has been trashed. It may not last beyond the vote on the deal.

Mrs May, the Conservatives and the Brexit process are standing on the edge of a cliff. Is this the end – for all of them?

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6 Comments

  1. Barry Davies November 15, 2018 at 3:15 pm - Reply

    ReMAYner has done her utmost to keep us in the Eu, more than 2 years after we voted to leave the most important aspect. The trade deal has not even started let alone be addressed and she expects us, in same way as call me daves new deal capitulating to the Eu is a good thing. 2 minsters for exit have quit because she wouldn’t let them negotiate and the disagree with her remain in all but name Brexit, time she went because remain or leave it is obvious this is a very bad deal and you can understand that by page 3 of the preamble of the draft.

    • Mike Sivier November 15, 2018 at 9:17 pm - Reply

      I don’t think it’s about her supporting Remain. I think it’s about her wanting a Brexit for the Tory elite – one from which they get to profit and that grinds everybody else in the country under the heels of their boots.
      The closer we get to the day, the more clearly it seems “Remain v Leave” has been a smokescreen and it has always been “Tory elite v Plebs”.

      • John D. Ingleson November 15, 2018 at 9:48 pm - Reply

        It’s a (s)Tory tactic straight out of Ms Klein’s playbook “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism”
        “… About how countries are shocked – by wars, terror attacks, coups d’etat and natural disasters. And then they are shocked again – by corporations and politicians who exploit their fear and disorientation of this first shock to push through economic shock therapy. And then how people who dare to resist these shock politics are, if necessary, shocked for a third time – by police, soldiers, and prison officers…”

  2. Giri Arulampalam November 15, 2018 at 3:25 pm - Reply

    D.Raab is supposed to be a very bright lawyer.

  3. blackghost55 November 15, 2018 at 5:59 pm - Reply

    The end for all of them?
    I do hope so…
    I’d love her to announce a GE, even if it’s out of spite.. ( wishful thinking)

  4. Pat Sheehan November 16, 2018 at 1:17 am - Reply

    I want to see more resignations: lots of them: and torys back-stabbing each other out of existence: for ever! Let’s have a proper, fitting finale to this hideous, catastrophic debacle: one we won’t forget! Ever!

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