Daily Times

Theresa May appears to have recovered from her Salzburg humiliation. Indeed, the British Prime Minister was defiant over the weekend. To the point whereby she berated her European partners over their outright rejection of the so-called Chequers Brexit plan without first seeing fit to put a new set of proposals on the table. She went as far as to warn Brussels that her country would neither “capitulate” nor take sole responsibility in overcoming the impasse. Even if it means walking away next year without a deal.

For many, this promises a risky gamble. After all, it had been hoped that both sides would ink a final settlement by next month; to be implemented in November. The EU, for its part, remains steadfast. Arguing, not unreasonably, that a Britain which remains in the single market simply will not do. This is a position that it says has long been impressed upon London.

Be that as it may, the premier’s gumption has played well back at home. With certain quarters of the Euro-sceptic press rallying round May; denouncing the Big Boys of Brussels as “Euro mobsters” and “EU Dirty Rats”. In fact, as the PM gears up for the annual Conservative party conference at the end of the month, she may well be in her strongest position to date; or at least since her disastrous snap election move that saw her lose the Tory majority. This year’s moot has been viewed as an opportunity where dissenters in her cabinet, past and present, will throw their hats into the ring to directly challenge her leadership.

Yet this could well end up being mere wishful thinking on the parts of Boris Johnson and company. For while he and others jumped the sinking Brexit ship to land on dry shore — May has been left alone to steer the ship and rally the troops. And while she is likely not to get the deal that Britain wants, she at least is still standing. All of which means that while the PM will certainly not return to Downing Street for another term, she will very possibly beat the odds and stay on until this one ends. Which is more than anyone was able to say of David Cameron.  *

Published in Daily Times, September 23^rd 2018.