What’s happening with Brexit: Sharing some thoughts with RTE Radio 2…

As of right now, the executive has lost control to Parliament. But Parliament has neither the tools nor the mandate for governing.  Mrs May’s cabinet is divided and leaking unsavouring briefings to the British Media.

Despite talk of a no deal, the Commons has clearly indicated to the government it does not want one. Technically there is nothing stopping Mrs May from doing it, but politically she is so weak it would be hard to defend the potential damage.

An election is talked about in cabinet as a way out of their current hell, but without clear proposition the result is unlikely to change much. Corbyn/ Starmer has been careful not get caught on the wrong side of an issue that divides Labour constituencies.

Fleet Street speculates about bribing the DUP (and pro Brexit Labour MPs), but a politician’s currency is votes, not cash. Taking money to go against your voters’ will (the UUP is against the backstop too) is a road to political hell.

With no consensus on how to exit it’s hard to see beyond an extension: which is often how the UK has been forced to manage difficult to settle issues within Northern Ireland’s peace process. The deadlock of NI politics has gone mainstream?

The Economist’s front page says it all:

Theresa May's departure will leave the course of Brexit as radically uncertain as it has ever been. Our cover in Britain this week https://t.co/X1KlCH8njr pic.twitter.com/HGBX0RK76h

— The Economist (@TheEconomist) March 28, 2019

Somewhere in the future may be a second referendum, but a referendum on what exactly? It would have to be something that is broadly agreed upon in Parliament in order to make it to the people. The line of least resistance remains that no deal.

Therein lies everyone’s problem: the government’s, the opposition’s and dare I say it, the European Commission’s. As Brian notes wryly, Dublin comes back into the picture this week as Macron and Merkel demand detail on how Ireland will deal with a no deal.

Photo by Tumisu is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

Mick Fealty

Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty