May vows to fight for Brexit deal as ministers quit

However, hostility from government and opposition lawmakers raised the risk that the deal would be rejected in parliament, and that Britain could leave the EU on March 29 without a safety net.

Do they even deserve one? GB has a history of going against the EU, just about from the start, and seemed rather reluctant to even join.

Just desserts? I feel sorry for the people, who seem to have been blinded and now are just realizing the potentially dark near future the country is facing!

anything except Boris as PM and Charlie as king.

"Britain did just fine before the EU and it will eventually come though this stronger and more resilient"

Before the EU, Britain was the "sick man of Europe".

https://www.economist.com/buttonwoods-notebook/2017/07/19/britain-back-to-being-the-sick-man-of-europe

Britain was "great" because it had an Empire working for its benefit.

No amount of Brexit will bring those days back!

The deal on the table is pretty terrible - it is basically staying in the EU but paying £40bn for it.

Still better than no deal, but better to stay in the EU and save the huge expense.

Can anyone say Toast or Crumpet?

The more people found out about the details of May's proposal, the more they got angry. She broke all of her own promises and has been extremely deceitful. I think more than 48 letters have already been submitted, but Graham Brady is stalling for time. There is no one in a position of oversight for the chair of the 1922 committee, which is huge flaw.

"The deal on the table is pretty terrible"

Any "deal" benefiting Britain will lead to the EU's disintegration, therefore it's not gonna happen.

Britain should have read the rules before embarking on this venture, and now try to claim EU's vindictiveness for the lack of "cake and eat it", as promised by BJ, JRM, Dyson et al.

Europe holds all the cards that matter, yet well meaning yet totally "ignorant" folk chose to believe the fallacy that "they need us more".

We're shafted good and proper, especially now Brexino is on its way.

The way I see it is like this:

Once May presents her Checkers Plan to the Parliament it will probably be rejected, and the UK will face a crisis going forward. This may prompt calls for a referendum on her Checkers plan with the choices being a hard brexit or Checkers. But here's the catch: most likely there will be a strong voice to have a third option on the referendum: Remain.

Then if these are the choices- 1. Checkers 2. Hard Brexit or 3. Remain, I suspect the majority will go to remain as brexiters will be divided on 1&2 giving the remainers a majority.

I suspect that Checkers was done this way for the exact reasons above. I have no proof of this, but I suspect that the reason was to give the british public a second referendum without calling it that, and that the remainers and the EU are banking on the fact that given the choices between an awful deal, no deal at all, or a chance to remain, the majority will choose the latter.

This is just my guess.

Are Britain and America's governments competing in some sort of clown show?

Tempest in a teapot. Frankly, I hope May's plan fails and the UK leaves the EU without any form of deal. Then we'll see who the real men and women are. Time to buck it up, ignore the naysayers and talk about it five years hence, when the rest of the EU unravels. The whole thing has been an experiment in ceding individual nations' rights to the own destiny to a fallacy of leadership.

But, I may be wrong. I often am. I only hope I live that five years and can look back and say I was right. My ancestors are all English, Scottish and French. And I respect their autonomy.

At least 14 Conservative lawmakers openly said they had submitted such letters, although others could have done so secretly. Forty-eight are needed to trigger a challenge

After Cameron buggered off sharpish to play Angry Birds after Brexit, we saw the depth of talent in the Tory Party - Gove, Leadsom and May. Johnson was quickly disregarded.

The terrifying thing is May was the best choice of that sorry shower.

If it weren't for Britain, Germany would have had it's own form of EU decades ago. Ms Markle hasn't helped much by having a last say upon the current situation either....

The current "agreement" that was discussed yesterday had little substance other than to leave much open to further discussion - it was essentially an attempt to buy further time and stretch out the Brexit over more years. And yes, the backstop clauses could have left the UK within Europe for ever, essentially as a Vasel State.

Unfortunately, the key intractable issue, is that of Northern Ireland, without that, it'd have been a whole lot simpler. The best that can happen, is for NI to declare independence and be left to find it's own way forward as a Commonwealth (Commonpoority) Country.

IMO the Brexit discussions should always have been about a hard exit first, that would have been a lot simpler, then from there build upon the future relationships. The UK wont be the first to wish to leave the EU, so a template for exit should have been worked on from the start... Italy will most likely follow next, followed by Greece, between them and the UK, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that will form their own alliance, which would clearly necessitate the UK keeping Gibraltar in order to ensure access to the Mediterranean. Turkey then may join this alternative Europe, as too the surrounding N. African Mediterranean Countries...

"No democratic nation has ever signed up to be bound by such an extensive regime, imposed externally without any democratic control over the laws to be applied, nor the ability to decide to exit the arrangement,"

Just one paragraph taken from former Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, resignation letter.

Another Dominic Raab poignant stipulation...

‘That arrangement is now also taken as the starting point for negotiating the Future Economic partnership”.

‘If we accept that, it will severely prejudice the second phase of negotiations against the UK”.

The irony is both Dominic Raab and predecessor David Davis, were Britain's chief Brexit minsters responsible for negotiating the UK withdrawal from European Union!!......

So how did this so called brexit deal ever see the light of day?...

Part of the answer could lie with another member of UK negotiating team. Oliver Robbins, a Whitehall mandarin, Robbins is Theresa May key chief Brexit adviser, to quote May's former director of strategy, Chris Wilkins, **"Olly was somebody who had the full trust of the prime minister, had the full trust of Jeremy Heywood (cabinet secretary) as well, and was able to own meetings and run meetings in a way that made the process very smooth and very effective." **

Robbins was principal private secretary to former prime minister Tony Blair.

May's Brexit deal was negotiated, if one could seriously call the process a negotiation, at least in the true meaning of the sense

In reality, the true leadership is Robbins and May.

Every cynical fibre in me indicates this dire abomination chequers deal is by design, destined to fail from the start.

Is the British electorate bring cynically manipulated into another referendum? A multi-option **preferendum, **a stage managed methodical means to split the leave vote?

A collusion to frustrate and suffocate, so to eventually reverse the process of the UK leaving the EU. This is a sham, weasel words, wrapped up in a web of deceit?

I hear that the 1922 Committee chairman, Graham Brady, has enough of letters required to trigger a vote

When the result of the ridiculous Brexit vote became known, fool Cameron who had been confident the Remainers would win, and all the 'top' politicos who had campaigned for Brexit - Johnson not the least - backed away from taking any responsibility.

That left people like May who were essentially and instinctively Bremainers to pick up the reins and negotiate a deal for something they actually felt was a stupid thing to do. The result of that is the 'deal' we now have: the Brexiteers don't like it because it keeps the UK close to the EU and subject to EU laws without any say in decisions, and the Bremainers don't like it because they see it as a half-hearted 'deal' that leaves the UK hanging, without any of the benefits of full EU membership.

May says her deal 'delivers what the people voted for, and is the best for Britain' (according to the BBC news this morning - paraphrasing, might not be her exact words). What she means is that she had an impossible task, to do what's best for the UK while taking it out of the EU, two ideas that are diametrically opposed. The UK is better off in the EU.

Northern Ireland voted to Remain, and they get special consideration vis-a-vis Ireland, borders, single market, etc. Scotland also voted to Remain, and they're being told no special treatment, they have to follow Whitehall. No wonder the Scots are Not Happy. Expect further revolts there.

Hopefully the Cabinet revolt will continue, more ministers will resign/letters of no-confidence will be sent to the point of the government collapsing, there will be an election followed by a new vote on whether to stay or go, and this time people will make the right choice, after seeing what mayhem their last choice caused.

And we can all go back to just getting along with each other.

I wonder if history will forgive May a little more than people are right now, due to having basically been thrown into an impossible position where no matter what path she chooses, probably more than half the people will be unhappy.

I wonder if history will forgive May a little more than people are right now, due to having basically been thrown into an impossible position where no matter what path she chooses, probably more than half the people will be unhappy

I have sympathy with the idea that she was inevitably going to piss off a lot of people no matter what route she took. She was also faced with the unenviable task of management of a party with a long tradition of stabbing each other in the back ( and sometimes in the front ).

My take is that she was far too indecisive and ended up pissing off both sides with indecision, mixed messages and contradicting herself, often in the space of days. Both sides were asking what the hell was going on. Some of her answers on the Irish border question were mind bending.

Flailing around while pissing off both sides and uniting them against her has to go down as failure.

From another day that will live in infamy, the day when Brexit was announced, it must have been obvious to all but the brain-washed that a friendly divorce from the EU was a mission impossible and would end in tears for the Tory spivs who conspired to hi-jack the country for their own profit and political gain. That the anachronistic nationalism propelling the naive and gullible lemming-like toward the brink could only end in a stinking pile of sticky fudge (Brexit means Brexsh*t, innit?), has been the scenario hidden in plain sight for the last two years. Thankfully, after this debacle Treeza and the treacherous Tories will be toast. They will exit unlamented the political stage, the Polish plumbers will remain, and then the British people can take back control.

17+ million votes - ignored.

Tories cried foul like a spoiled kid throwing a tantrum.

This deal is a complete joke! The whole idea of a clean break was so Britons could rightfully take back their jobs, fishing areas and laws! Nothing in this deal works in the best interests of the UK.

We leave, tell Europe to kiss our hairy backsides and don't pay a penny for it. What're they gonna do? NOTHING!

"The problem isn't the prime minister. The problem is the challenges she's got to deliver in trying to pull together this Brexit. She's the best person to do it."

Wrong! Very very wrong! The problem is the Prime Minister. She was in favour of Remaining. It was clear from the outset that she would never uphold the wishes and the hopes of those who voted to Leave. David Cameron knew this as well. He's not as stupid as he looks. He knew he wouldn't be able to sabotage Brexit himself, it would be too suspicious. So he left Theresa May to handle it, hoping that Britain's first female Prime Minister would be able to use that "achievement" to conceal her attempts to destroy Brexit. Except, she wasn't at all subtle about it. She's a very poor actress, and has not been able to hide the fact that she's been deliberately butchering Brexit with gusto. She's the worst person to deliver on the Referendum results.

"No democratic nation has ever signed up to be bound by such an extensive regime, imposed externally without any democratic control over the laws to be applied, nor the ability to decide to exit the arrangement," Raab said in his resignation letter.

Exactly! This is exactly why I and so many others voted to Leave. We're trapped in a regime that claims to be democratic, and yet denies us any say over the laws and regulations that have been imposed upon us (at considerable cost to our businesses and economy), and even denies us the ability to leave this destructive arrangement without creating even more havoc. This is the truth of the EU. If you join the regime, you'll be buried under forcefully imposed regulations, be forced to pay out the proverbial to share the debts of other countries, and if you try to leave: they'll blindside you with everything they can muster to try and punish you for desiring freedom, and to force you to stay.

We can't stay in the EU. It is not a democracy, it is an oligarchy. The power of the people is suppressed, their voices ignored. I would rather take a no-deal than stay in the EU. We can rebuild, as long as we pull together and actually try to rebuild instead of complaining. But if we stay, there'll be no second chances to escape. We'll be a caged bird for life, or until the EU collapses and takes out our economy in the process. It will be hard, leaving on a no-deal situation, but the outlook is far more dreary if we stay under the dictator's than if we leave to stand on our own feet. Unfortunately, very few people seem to be able to see this. They have no faith in themselves or anyone around them. They're afraid of putting in the work necessary to recover, and they're afraid of helping other people, especially future generations.

Tories cried foul like a spoiled kid throwing a tantrum.

Which Tories? One of the main problems here is the split in the Tory Party.

We leave, tell Europe to kiss our hairy backsides and don't pay a penny for it. What're they gonna do? NOTHING!

HEAR HEAR!!

Are Britain and America's governments competing in some sort of clown show?

Yes, clearly. But the more embarrassing thing is that the UK's was supported by a majority of the voters, unlike President Trump.

The 23rd June 2016 referendum results turn out 72.2%., that's 33,614,074, from an confirmed eligible 46,500,001. the highest post-war turnout since the 1950 general election (83.9 per cent)

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/elections-and-referendums/past-elections-and-referendums/eu-referendum/electorate-and-count-information

For reference and comparison the Scottish independence referendum turn out was 84.59% from an eligible vote of 4,283,392. 75% of 16 and 17 year old voted as compared to 54% of 18-24 year old and 72% of 25-34 year old.

Taking these statistics into account, politically there is no halfway house between having a foot in and foot out. It is either a clean break or remaining a member state.

So what are the benefits of remaining?

And the opportunities from leaving?.

Politically and economically?

This is the critical question.

It will be hard, leaving on a no-deal situation, but the outlook is far more dreary if we stay under the dictator's than if we leave to stand on our own feet. Unfortunately, very few people seem to be able to see this. They have no faith in themselves or anyone around them. They're afraid of putting in the work necessary to recover, and they're afraid of helping other people, especially future generations.

Fair point. Am actually surprised more Britons aren't backing themselves to succeed outside the EU. Honestly thought more would embrace Brexit, having a crack on their own etc but the opposite has happened.

We can't stay in the EU. It is not a democracy, it is an oligarchy.

Yet in the UK, half of the elected MPs received less than 50% of the vote in their constituencies. I think you are saying that a European oligarchy is not as good as a British oligarchy.

They have no faith in themselves or anyone around them.

Some have lots of faith in themselves. They're just annoyed that Brexit is denying them various opportunities.

@goldorak

Most British people want Brexit over and done with. There are still far more Brits who want to leave, even under a no-deal scenario, than there are who want to remain, are against Brexit and would like to reverse the decision.

The problem is that the media don't show this at all. They do the opposite and constantly highlight the 10% who want to stop Brexit. If you have a look at any Brexit related article with a comments section on the BBC news website, or most YouTube videos related to the topic, or comment sections of the British newspaper sites (except the Guardian), you'll see the general consensus of the public.

Oliver Robbins received a bonus of between £15,000 and £20,000 for his role as permanent secretary of the Department for Exiting the European Union (2017).

As key adviser behind May’s Brexit strategy. Oliver Robbins, Mr Chequers, has literally no mandate to govern.

When David Davis tendered his resignation Robbins had more than forty Department for Exiting the European Union staff, directly seconded to his team answerable to his direction.

His bonus was was approved by Theresa May.

The rabid Brexiteers aren't happy, the EU or nothing Remainers aren't happy. Those who do not hold either of these opinions are shruggng their shoulders and saying 'OK, lets just stop squabbling and get on with this'. Unfortunately the two extreme groups are getting all the media attention and majority are beng ignored. Question Time last night showed exasperated people pleading with politicians to stop point scoring and deal with this historic issue together, I saw a poll on Channel 5 this morning that said only 30% of Tories want May to resign. Labour are a shambles, there is no Opposition in the Commons. Most MPs are not listening to their constituants. That's why it's all a shambles.

Ha-Ha-

The Brexit thing was a huge slap in the face to Obama & his liberal buddy Merkel.

May & her gov goons had better get their act together & start showing a better example to the rest of the free world.