Prime Minister Theresa May called for unity over Brexit, a week after Cabinet tensions erupted and a key party member labelled her “crazy”. Writing in the Sunday Times, May said, “You can trust me to deliver. The path I am setting out is the path to deliver the Brexit people voted for. I will not let you down.” Things are chaotic as the May government fails to agree on what to seek in the exit negotiations, just less than year until the UK leaves the EU.
To make matters worse, the resignation of a key ally has left May outnumbered in her inner “war cabinet” over her proposal for a close customs relationship with the bloc. It has been reported that at least 12 out of 28 ministers from her Cabinet are set to oppose her plan. The PM ordered her ministers last week, to take responsibility for resolving the Brexit customs dilemma themselves, splitting her inner Brexit Cabinet into two working groups to iron out their differences. With two options being considered, either May's preferred plan would see the UK copy the EU's customs regime, which is, collecting EU tariffs and reimbursing businesses if UK tariffs are lower; or, Maximum Facilitation, or Max Fac as it is called, would set up a looser relationship between the two trading partners and use technology to minimise disruption and border checks.
While Brexit-backers prefer the second version, the EU is now starting to engage with May's proposal. Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney said her customs partnership idea could be the basis of negotiation between the two sides. He rubbished the option to rely on technology. “We just simply think it won't work. The only way we can find a solution here that means that we have a fully seamless border, with no physical infrastructure and no checks and controls, is to maintain alignment in terms of rules and regulations on both sides of the border,” he said.
Meanwhile, time seems to be running out for May to heal the divisions in the Cabinet. In her piece in the Times, she hinted that concessions would be needed. “Of course, the details are incredibly complex, and as in any negotiation, there will have to be compromises. But if we stick to the task as we will seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a stronger, fairer Britain that is respected around the world and confident and united at home.”
