Palma23/09/2019 09:38
Will he or won't he. It does appear possible that Boris Johnson just might get a Brexit deal from the European Union. This would be against all odds but the “body language” does appear to be improving and even Brussels appears to be a warming to a new deal. Now, this could all be spin from the British government.
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Boris Johnson probably knows what he wants out of Brexit. His closest associates may suspect that they too know, but hardly anybody else does. Early on in his new job Johnson seemed determined to convince everyone he was for crashing out with no deal. His talk of negotiation appeared to be a ploy to make it look like the EU would be to blame for a failure to get a deal. But as Harold Macmillan once implied, in answer to a journalist´s question, a Prime Minister´s freedom of action is always constrained by “Events, dear boy. Events.”. For Boris, two events almost certainly have altered his thinking about seeking a deal. The Act of Parliament promoted by Hilary Benn to make him seek an extension of Article 50 until January 31st, If he cannot get the withdrawal agreement through Parliament by October 19th, together with an apparent softening of the Ulster Unionist opposition to a border in the Irish Sea, as an alternative to the backstop. As does his failure to get Parliament to agree to a General Election at a time of his choosing. And the Supreme Court might rule that his prorogation of Parliament was illegal which would add further to his woes. An actor manqué, Johnson is more of a showman than a politician and that makes it very difficult to forecast what he will do next. He could resign, and leave the mess to another government to sort out, hoping to make a triumphant comeback in a subsequent general election. But then … Jim Wallace, Cala Viñas
May’s “deal” was rejected by parliament before it was submitted to Brussels not after. Brussels had no intention in accepting anything she suggested as they considered her to be a week fool who had no idea how to negóciate with people who theoretically had better cards. May is the sort of person who would pay more than the asking price in a Persian kasbah just because she felt sorry for the vendor.
This was a foregone conclusion. Europe was playing chicken with May. As soon as someone came along calling their bluff, they have changed their tune, as they knew all along that they have got a LOT more to lose than the U.K. ever will.