Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, offered a deal on Tuesday regarding the departure of Britain from the European Union. The deal is set out to serve sweeteners to the parliament which includes a chance of voting for the second referendum in order to break the deadlock over Brexit.
The Prime Minister’s offer
After around three years of Britain voting to exit the European Union and two months since the planned date of the departure, the Prime Minister is trying to make some last efforts of separating the support and backing of the parliament in order to leave behind a legacy with a divorce deal. May also offered to make significant changes however many of the lawmakers have decided already not to budge from their decision and will be voting against the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, implementing the terms of departure of Britain.
The response
By claiming to offer a second vote as part of her deal along with a customs arrangements compromise, she is hoping to appeal to the Labour lawmakers in the opposition. But Jeremy Corbyn has stated that the party will not be voting for the Withdrawal Bill, as they agree that the offer by May mostly reuses the government’s position. May has also agonized the lawmakers supporting Brexit, who think customs union along with the European Union is not Brexit.
Many conservative eurosceptics like David Davis, the last Brexit Minister and Jacob Rees- Mogg have also said that they are not planning on voting for this bill in June. The previous Foreign Minister, Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab also oppose the interest of the deal. Along with these, Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party, supporting the Prime Minister May’s government claims that the deal possesses the same flaws as the original one. They also are fearful of the fact that this divorce deal can split Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom.
Gimmick
The Prime Minister’s movement for the lawmakers who want to remain in the European Union is a fluctuation of stand from her earlier comments about having a second referendum and having a customs union. She may also be resting on the thought that the parliament opposes any of the claims of a second vote by the public along with the temporary customs union being weak enough to accept the deal. This also shows how May’s earlier strategy has failed, which was to make the Brexit supporters side with her. Some say that this attempt to get the Labour lawmakers to agree is too late and cannot be helped, calling the deal a ‘gimmick’ as a desperate action.
People supporting Brexit are also not convinced. May hopes to get the withdrawal deal in order to leave with at least finalising the initial steps of the departure of Britain as promised. This deal has faced rejection three times by the parliament but many fear the economic shock that would be caused by an abrupt departure without a deal.
