Matt Hancock, one of the Conservative candidates vying for Prime Minister Theresa May’s job, said a no-deal Brexit was not an option for Britain’s next leader as the speaker of parliament would thwart it, the Financial Times reported. “The brutal reality is, no deal is not a policy choice available to the next prime minister,” […]
Brexit
When do intractable issue become existential?
Many “democracies” face similar conundrums that could pose an existential danger to their future political coherence. This is not a new phenomenon. Nazi Germany could never reconcile its ambitions for “lebensraum” with reality and ultimately was crushed. The Soviet Union imploded because of an irrational political system. Today, Brexit is an existential threat to the […]
UK’s Nigel Farage demands a seat at Brexit talks
Nigel Farage demanded a seat at Brexit negotiations on Monday after his new party swept to victory in the United Kingdom’s European Parliament election, warning that he would turn British politics upside down if denied. Farage, a bombastic 55-year-old commodities broker-turned anti-establishment supremo, won by riding a wave of anger at the failure of Prime […]
UK PM May will honour promise to quit if Brexit deal passes: Hammond
British Prime Minister Theresa May will honour her promise to step down as soon as lawmakers pass her Brexit deal, finance minister Philip Hammond said in an interview published on Thursday. Hammond told London’s Evening Standard newspaper that May was “as good as her word”. Lawmakers who would like to see May stand down quickly […]
British PM tells Labour: ‘Let’s do a deal’ on Brexit
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday urged main opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to work with her to break the Brexit deadlock, telling him: “Let’s do a deal”. May said she understood why hardcore Brexiteers in her own centre-right Conservative Party, who want a clean break with the European Union, would wince at the […]
Danish fishing communities fear Brexit could sink them
In the small fishing town of Thyboron on the northwestern coast of Denmark, many fishermen worry the British waters they have become increasingly dependent on will be out of reach when Britain leaves the European Union. Poul Erik Rom, 35, and his father Ejvind, 65, are from a long line of fishermen. Each year they […]
EU’s Tusk says ‘dream’ of Brexit U-turn not dead
EU summit chair Donald Tusk on Tuesday called on Tuesday for the “dream” that Britain might give up on leaving the European Union not to be dismissed and urged politicians not to let exhaustion with Brexit negotiations make for a hasty exit. Giving an account of last week’s summit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, […]
EU gives theresa May ‘flexible’ Brexit recess till Oct 31
European Union leaders gave Theresa May a new Brexit deadline of Oct. 31, four months longer than the prime minister asked for, in a move the EU summit chair said would let Britain resolve its domestic deadlock on the issue. “EU27/UK have agreed a flexible extension until 31 October,” European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted […]
Macron says long Brexit delay shouldn’t be taken for granted
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday he was impatient to hear more from Prime Minister Theresa May on why European Union leaders should grant Britain an extension to the Brexit negotiation period. “I am very impatient to listen to Theresa May, but as far as I’m concerned, nothing should be taken for granted. Nothing. […]
Three daggers
Three political daggers are aimed at America’s democracy and security. Whether these are stilettos- thin, stealthy and precise- or nearly foot long Bowie knives to hack, cut and maim makes little difference. The ultimate effect could be deadly. The first dagger threatens truthfulness; the second the constitution; and the third the nation’s most important alliance. […]