Shropshire Star

Shropshire Star comment: Empress has got no clothes

As she faced MPs in the House of Commons, Theresa May cut a lonely and forlorn figure.

Published
It was difficult not to feel sorry for the Prime Minister

She might have been announcing a terrible defeat and national humiliation. Yet this was supposed to be her moment of triumph.

After months of tough negotiations she had struck a deal with the EU. After impassioned debate by her Cabinet, they had lined up behind it.

She was, as she said over and over again in Parliament, delivering something that honoured the referendum vote of 2016. But MPs saw through it. One by one they got up, to say in effect: the Empress has got no clothes.

It was difficult not to feel sorry for her. She has done her duty for her country as she has seen it and achieved “the best possible deal”.

In upsetting both Leavers and Remainers alike, the draft agreement has achieved a unity of sorts, but not the unity of purpose that the nation desperately needs.

Those who thought the EU would take a pragmatic negotiating position that involved compromises to allow continued free trade while allowing the UK its independence have been proven wrong. Instead it has acted to protect The Project and has given away nothing of substance.

With the series of resignations, it feels as if the whole Government is descending into chaos – and this at a crucial point in shaping the destiny of the nation. What now? What now indeed. Judging by the hostile reaction of MPs, the agreement will not win Commons approval.

Nevertheless, the formalities will have to be gone through, and putting it to a “meaningful vote” will mean MPs have to decide whether they are prepared to swallow their misgivings and vote for Mrs May’s deal, or are prepared to countenance the Pandora’s Box consequences of rejecting it.

It will be presented as a Deal or No Deal choice. But other outcomes are available. And remember, Parliament is a Remain body, so a “Stop Brexit” motion would gain much cross-party backing. One of the purposes of Brexit was for our sovereign Parliament to “take back control”. Watching the current shambles in Government, you could be forgiven for wondering whether the merits of that have been overblown.