Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May
Prime Minister Theresa May was grappling with the biggest crisis of her premiership on Friday after a draft divorce deal with the European Union provoked the resignations of senior ministers and mutiny in her party.
More than two years since the United Kingdom voted to leave the EU in a shock referendum, it is still unclear how, on what terms or even if it will leave the EU as planned on March 29, 2019.
Ever since winning the top job in the turmoil that followed the 2016 referendum, May has sought to negotiate a Brexit deal that ensures that the United Kingdom leaves in the smoothest way possible.
But Brexit minister Dominic Raab resigned over her deal, sending the pound tumbling. Mutinous lawmakers in her own party openly sought to challenge her leadership and bluntly told her that the Brexit deal would not pass parliament.
France is preparing various measures, notably those dealing with customs controls and checks at ports, in case there is no Brexit deal, said French transport minister Elisabeth Borne."We are making preparations for the hypothetical scenario of no agreement. For that scenario, we will be preparing customs controls, veterinary measures to put in place and also measures for checks at ports," Borne told CNews television on Friday.On Thursday, British Prime Minister Theresa May vowed to fight for her draft divorce deal with the European Union after the resignation of her Brexit secretary and other ministers put her strategy and her job in peril.In October, French minister Gerard Darmanin, who is in charge of customs, said France was hiring 700 additional customs officers and extra border control facilities in preparation for a potential no-deal in Britain's negotiations over its divorce from the European Union.Brexit strengthens Scottish independence case: SturgeonFrench PM Philippe: We have to be ready for 'no-deal' BrexitUK's Brexit Secretary Raab resigns thrusting May's government into turmoil
France preparing transport, customs measures in case of no-Brexit deal
Asked if she would contest any challenge to her position, May replied: "Am I going to see this through? Yes." She is due to speak on LBC radio at 0800 GMT.
On Friday, it was not clear whether Michael Gove, the most prominent Brexit-supporting minister in her government, would stay on as environment minister after May offered him the job of Brexit minister, British newspapers reported.
Brexit will pitch the world's fifth largest economy into the unknown. Many fear it will divide the West as it grapples with both the unconventional U.S. presidency of Donald Trump and growing assertiveness from Russia and China.
Amid the deepest political turmoil since the Suez canal crisis, when in 1956 Britain was forced by the United States to withdraw its troops from Egypt, the ultimate outcome remains uncertain.
A leadership challenge to British Prime Minister Theresa May could be completed in weeks, eurosceptic lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg said on Thursday."I think it can be done quite quickly. I think the parliamentary processes can be sped up," he told reporters, adding "not months, but I think weeks" when asked about a timeframe.He named Boris Johnson, David Davis, Esther McVey and Dominic Raab, who have all quit May's cabinet this year, as possible future leaders, as well as Penny Mordaunt, who was widely rumoured to be considering her cabinet position.Video: UK PM 'we are preserving the integrity of the United Kingdom'Brexit strengthens Scottish independence case: SturgeonUK PM May warns: It is my deal, no deal or no BrexitUK's Brexit Secretary Raab resigns thrusting May's government into turmoil
UK PM May could be replaced in weeks rather than months
Scenarios include May's deal ultimately winning approval; May losing her job; Britain leaving the bloc with no agreement; or even another referendum.
The EU and Britain need an agreement to keep trade flowing between the world's biggest trading bloc and the United Kingdom, home to the biggest international financial centre.
Supporters of Brexit say that while the divorce might bring some short-term instability, in the longer term it will allow the United Kingdom to thrive and also enable deeper EU integration without such a powerful reluctant member.
By seeking to preserve the closest possible ties with the EU, May has upset her party's many advocates of a clean break, and Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which props up her minority government.
Brexit has strengthened the case of Scottish independence, said First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon on Thursday.Sturgeon’s remarks came shortly after two major cabinet ministers resigned from the U.K. Cabinet over a draft Brexit deal reached with the EU.Speaking at the Scottish parliament, Sturgeon said the proposed deal will place Scotland at a real competitive disadvantage to Northern Ireland.“This is not an academic or abstract argument but has real consequences for jobs and living standards in Scotland,” she said.“The Tory government is imploding as we speak, people the length and breadth of the U.K. are seriously worried about their jobs and their living standards on the line because of the ideology of this Tory government and the complete shambles they have made of the negotiations,” Sturgeon said.Sturgeon said that Brexit makes the case for independence grow stronger every day although, as usual, she won’t be drawn on timing of another referendum.“That time will come and when it does I have no doubt that the people of Scotland will choose to be independent,” she added.Earlier in the House of Commons, Scottish National Party leader in Westminster Ian Blackford described the deal as “dead in the water,” accusing the central Westminster government for not consulting devolved government in Scotland on the draft deal.Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey resigned from the Cabinet, saying they could not support the deal.Three junior ministers also resigned on Thursday.Sturgeon has been critical of Prime Minister Theresa May over lack of consultation on Brexit issues and negotiations with the EU, often saying Brexit will be an absolute catastrophe for Scottish economy.Scottish voters opted to remain in the U.K. as slightly more than 55 percent voted to stay in the U.K. in a 2014 referendum.In 2016 EU referendum, Scots voted to remain in the EU by 62 percent to 38 percent.
Brexit strengthens Scottish independence case: Sturgeon
Meanwhile, proponents of closer relations with the EU in her own party and the Labour opposition say the deal squanders the advantages of membership for little gain.
The deal will need the backing of about 320 of parliament's 650 lawmakers to pass.
"It is ... mathematically impossible to get this deal through the House of Commons. The stark reality is that it was dead on arrival," said Conservative Brexit-supporting lawmaker Mark Francois.
British Prime Minister Theresa May told lawmakers on Thursday that their choice was clear: back her Brexit deal, leave with no deal, or have no Brexit at all."The choice is clear: We can choose to leave with no deal, we can risk no Brexit at all, or we can choose to unite and support the best deal that can be negotiated," May told parliament in a statement on Thursday.May said she shared the concerns of those who believe a Brexit backstop to avoid a border on the island of Ireland impinges on British sovereignty, but it was an improvement on previous proposals."The references to the backstop do raise some difficult issues," May told parliament."I fully accept that across the house, there are concerns in relation to the backstop. Indeed, I share some of those concerns," she said.French PM Philippe: We have to be ready for 'no-deal' BrexitBritain is still preparing for no-deal Brexit May said on Thursday the government was continuing to prepare for a no-deal Brexit after her draft divorce deal sparked a raft of ministerial resignations."We have been preparing for no-deal and we continue to prepare for no-deal because I recognise that we have a futher stage of negotiation with the European council and then that deal when finalised ... has to come back to this House," she told parliament.UK's Brexit Secretary Raab resigns thrusting May's government into turmoilBritain will leave the EU in March as plannedBritain will leave the European Union on March 29 and will not suspend the process of leaving, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Thursday, adding that it would meet its legal obligations on a financial settlement with the bloc."We will not extend Article 50," May told parliament, when asked about the clause in the EU's Lisbon Treaty which allows for countries to leave the bloc.EU summit to endorse Brexit deal to take place on Nov 25
UK PM May warns: It is my deal, no deal or no Brexit