Battle-hardened in Britain, May prepares for Brexit talks

[webfact]

Battle-hardened in Britain, May prepares for Brexit talks

By Elizabeth Piper

 

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves Downing Street in London, Britain March 1, 2017. REUTERS/Neil Hall/File Photo

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May is unlikely to bow to political expedience in Brexit negotiations but will make up her own mind about what she believes is best and refuse to give ground - that's if past form is anything to go by.

 

May, who backed the campaign to stay in the European Union in last June's referendum, will have to carry or quell the eurosceptics in her ruling Conservative Party as she formulates her negotiating priorities and strategy.

 

The 60-year-old - often described as "sphinx-like" in the British press - has revealed little in her first eight months as leader about how she will approach divorce talks with Brussels, perhaps wary of weakening her hand.

 

But her previous experience of trying to win the support of the eurosceptics who drove Brexit could offer some clues about her modus operandi: two years ago when as interior minister she sought to opt back into the European Arrest Warrant against the wishes of many in her party.

 

May got her way in the end after a bruising encounter over the warrant, which speeds extradition between member states. She did not backtrack an inch and forced it through parliament.

 

Her conduct and strategy present a picture of a stubborn negotiator who sticks as firmly as possible to what she believes is in Britain's best interests.

 

Several government aides and a lawyer with knowledge of the matter said she was driven by a conviction she was right - that Britain needed to adopt the warrant and other EU justice measures - and, while acknowledging their shortcomings, would not let anything stand in her way.

 

Supporters say her ultimate success offer evidence of her political steel, know-how and negotiating skills. Critics say the self-belief that drove her to open a rift in her party and face down a rebellion could be a weakness if it becomes inflexibility that hinders Britain striking winning the best deal.

 

"If you believe in what you're doing, that's key. If you do believe you're doing the right thing, that gives you resilience," May told the BBC's Desert Island Discs programme less than two weeks after the fight.

 

She steadfastly refused to allow lawmakers a vote on the arrest warrant which she said was in "our national interest", reneging on a pledge to the outrage of the eurosceptics, instead offering only a vote on a broader package of justice measures.

 

In a rare admission that her strategy may have been misjudged, she added in the BBC interview: "If I was starting it again now, would I do it in a different way? Given the understanding of how parliament felt then, perhaps I would."

 

'NOT SHOWY'

 

May spent six years as home secretary, or interior minister, before taking over from David Cameron as prime minister last year following the June 23 referendum when Britons backed leaving the EU by 52 percent to 48 percent.

 

The premier, who describes herself as "not a showy politician", is something of an anomaly in a porous political scene rife with secret press briefings.

 

Her closest aides, loyal since she became home secretary in 2010, ensure very little leaks. One government aide called her team "one of the most effective in Westminster".

 

She has said she will trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, launching two years of divorce talks, by the end of this month. Parliament is expected to approve legislation to start the negotiations by mid-March.

 

She will enter the EU negotiations with a long and broad wish list - wanting the closest possible trading conditions, maintaining security cooperation, regaining control over immigration and restoring sovereignty over British laws.

 

It is an opening negotiating stance - one British government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, asked why would anyone start talks with anything less. Another British official said any strategy would evolve, depending on what the EU came up with and how the other 27 member states approached the talks.

 

But with EU officials balking at granting her a good deal, fearing other European countries might follow suit, May will have to find a path to compromise.

 

'STEEL YOURSELF'

 

The so-called Brexiteers, or eurosceptic lawmakers in her party, will watch her every step closely as Britain negotiates a deal, to make sure they have scrutiny of all aspects. May will work hard to keep them on side.

 

"At the moment we have just been negotiating with ourselves," said a veteran politician now in the upper house of parliament. Once Britain starts negotiating with the EU, he said, the "very dysfunctions Brexiteers complained about are the same dysfunctions allowing them or not to arrive at a deal".

 

When May first disclosed her plans to opt into 35 EU justice measures including the arrest warrant in 2012, they met little outcry in parliament. The recommendations coincided with her announcement that she had dropped a bid to extradite computer hacker Gary McKinnon to the United States, which delighted many in her party who regarded the UK-U.S. extradition as imbalanced.

 

But the issue blew up two years later when she sought to force the measures through parliament. May initially misjudged the level of protest but successfully faced down the rebels, and later said: "I wasn't trying smoke and mirrors."

 

But for many Conservatives and members of opposition parties, her behaviour left a bad taste.

 

"It's not so much about how do you steel yourself, it's about, 'Are you doing the right thing?'" May told the Sunday Times late last year.

"If you know you are doing the right thing, you have the confidence, the energy to go and deliver that right message."

 

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Pravin Char)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-06

[Laughing Gravy]

Waiting for the remoaners backlash on how she is going to ruin the UK, how we need another referendum, the house of lords and parliament should be involved in all decisions, which will just put the UK in the worse possible position. Then these very same remoaners will be championing the "we told you we should have stayed in the EU'.

[Scott]

Inflammatory post and replies removed.   Continue and suspensions will be given. 

[Grouse]

May will do "The Right Thing" for the Con Party

 

The country as a whole will indeed get change but they will be worse off and the UK will be damaged irreparably.

 

Nothing to be done as there is no effective opposition and The Lords will be ignored

 

[Retiredandhappyhere]

Everything I have heard from Theresa May so far concerning her negotiating strategy has convinced me that she is the right "man" for the job.

 

Meanwhile, the Lord's contention that confirmation should be given now that all immigrants already in the UK should be allowed to stay is great from the humanitarian point of view, but nonsense from the negotiating point of view, unless the EU give the same confirmation NOW in respect of UK immigrants residing in the EU.  Their view is consistent with all the "do-gooders" who often only see one side of the story and tend to ignore the practicalities.  Mrs Merkel is one striking example of this.

[Grouse]

14 minutes ago, Retiredandhappyhere said:

Everything I have heard from Theresa May so far concerning her negotiating strategy has convinced me that she is the right "man" for the job.

 

Meanwhile, the Lord's contention that confirmation should be given now that all immigrants already in the UK should be allowed to stay is great from the humanitarian point of view, but nonsense from the negotiating point of view, unless the EU give the same confirmation NOW in respect of UK immigrants residing in the EU.  Their view is consistent with all the "do-gooders" who often only see one side of the story and tend to ignore the practicalities.  Mrs Merkel is one striking example of this.

Give me the "do-gooders" any day of the week.

 

 

[joebrown]

1 hour ago, Grouse said:

Give me the "do-gooders" any day of the week.

 

 

You mean like the late Lord Longford(s) of this world?

[Grouse]

51 minutes ago, joebrown said:

You mean like the late Lord Longford(s) of this world?

OK, you win! I'd forgotten that idiot!

[dunroaming]

7 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

Waiting for the remoaners backlash on how she is going to ruin the UK, how we need another referendum, the house of lords and parliament should be involved in all decisions, which will just put the UK in the worse possible position. Then these very same remoaners will be championing the "we told you we should have stayed in the EU'.

Interesting points.  There are some who think that there should be a second referendum but most of us know that would just make things worse.  The EU would just say <deleted> off if we went back and said that we have changed our mind.  There are also those who think that parliament should have a voice as they represent the voters (both Brexit and Remain) and would endeavour to make sure that they were not sold down the river by unchecked so called negotiations.

 

But the really interesting point you make is that you seem to believe that Theresa May will fail to get an acceptable deal for Britain.  Hence your comments on the remoaners then saying "we told you we should have stayed in the EU".

 

For all we know May might get a good deal or no deal at all.  If you are waiting for the remoaners backlash I fear you have years to wait as until then we will all be left in the dark.

[Laughing Gravy]

2 hours ago, dunroaming said:

But the really interesting point you make is that you seem to believe that Theresa May will fail to get an acceptable deal for Britain.  Hence your comments on the remoaners then saying "we told you we should have stayed in the EU".

 

For all we know May might get a good deal or no deal at all.  If you are waiting for the remoaners backlash I fear you have years to wait as until then we will all be left in the dark.

For me just leaving was acceptable, so TM get us out. The what's and ifs and could be's and maybe's are irrelevant. It has been done to death but the EU isn't what it was meant to be. Period. The EU is hardly something to shine as a template for trade and integration. The pessimism is amazing. What did the European countries do before the EU? Prosper. The UK did better than most and will do again.

[Grouse]

If May goes for hard Brexit as promised, she can say goodbye to Vauxhall's assembly plants and local suppliers. About 15,000 jobs eventually. The Vauxhall badge will remain but the cars will come from Zaragoza and the power trains from Hungary.

 

PSA got a great deal with the collapsed pound and after 16 years of 1B annual losses GMs, are celebrating. They can even demonstrate to Trump that their percentage of domestic workers has increased.

 

Is there anybody thinking about any of this?

 

Sometimes I wonder if the UK is fully prepared before sailing away from the EU

 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/39177345

Edited March 6, 2017 by Grouse

[nuakmuaynina]

I'd prefer it if someone who was elected to be PM was doing this job, she wasn't even elected by her own party. No one else wanted the job!

[dunroaming]

18 minutes ago, nuakmuaynina said:

I'd prefer it if someone who was elected to be PM was doing this job, she wasn't even elected by her own party. No one else wanted the job!

Certainly once the vote for Brexit was taken being the Prime Minister was something of a poisoned chalice.  But these are strange times and quite honestly there is nobody capable of delivering the goods.  If not May then who?

[nauseus]

8 hours ago, Grouse said:

May will do "The Right Thing" for the Con Party

 

The country as a whole will indeed get change but they will be worse off and the UK will be damaged irreparably.

 

Nothing to be done as there is no effective opposition and The Lords will be ignored

 

"The country as a whole will indeed get change but they will be worse off and the UK will be damaged irreparably"

 

Yet another broad statement with no foundation. You promised to tell me what has been so outstanding about the EU. After two weeks I consider that promise to be broken! You can't say that you haven't had the time, this time, after scattering numerous posts about TV every day! 

 

You remind me of the remain campaign, no substance, just "stronger, safer and better off together" or some gibberish like that. You have provided no serious argument at all and I'm not surprised, as there isn't any to be found.

 

Enjoy your scotch, Grouse. And have one for the UK while you're at it!  

 

 

[nauseus]

2 hours ago, Grouse said:

If May goes for hard Brexit as promised, she can say goodbye to Vauxhall's assembly plants and local suppliers. About 15,000 jobs eventually. The Vauxhall badge will remain but the cars will come from Zaragoza and the power trains from Hungary.

 

PSA got a great deal with the collapsed pound and after 16 years of 1B annual losses GMs, are celebrating. They can even demonstrate to Trump that their percentage of domestic workers has increased.

 

Is there anybody thinking about any of this?

 

Sometimes I wonder if the UK is fully prepared before sailing away from the EU

 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/39177345

 

If May goes for hard Brexit as promised

 

What is the source of that quote?

 

 

[Grouse]

33 minutes ago, nauseus said:

"The country as a whole will indeed get change but they will be worse off and the UK will be damaged irreparably"

 

 

 

Yet another broad statement with no foundation. You promised to tell me what has been so outstanding about the EU. After two weeks I consider that promise to be broken! You can't say that you haven't had the time, this time, after scattering numerous posts about TV every day! 

 

 

 

You remind me of the remain campaign, no substance, just "stronger, safer and better off together" or some gibberish like that. You have provided no serious argument at all and I'm not surprised, as there isn't any to be found.

 

 

 

Enjoy your scotch, Grouse. And have one for the UK while you're at it!  

 

 

 

Touché 

 

You are quite correct

 

Pure idleness on my part

 

I accept your kick graciously!

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Anyone that thinks these negotiations will be easy has no knowledge of history. The strongest possible hand must be played without revealing strategy. I hope May goes down in history as the person that liberated the UK from the semi-autocracy of the EU in the early 21st century.

Leaving the EU is the best thing to happen to our four nations in 25 years or more.

The future's so bright I have to wear shades, as Timbuck3 once sang.

[nauseus]

1 hour ago, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

Anyone that thinks these negotiations will be easy has no knowledge of history. The strongest possible hand must be played without revealing strategy. I hope May goes down in history as the person that liberated the UK from the semi-autocracy of the EU in the early 21st century.

Leaving the EU is the best thing to happen to our four nations in 25 years or more.

The future's so bright I have to wear shades, as Timbuck3 once sang.

Here here!  

Edited March 6, 2017 by nauseus

[nauseus]

1 hour ago, Grouse said:

Touché 

 

You are quite correct

 

Pure idleness on my part

 

I accept your kick graciously!

Grouse, I certainly would not think of you as being idle! 

[Grouse]

11 hours ago, nauseus said:

Grouse, I certainly would not think of you as being idle! 

Many years ago I lived in the town called Idle near Bradford. Here they had the wonderfully named "Idle Working Mens' Club" ?

[Grouse]

Hard Brexit implies leaving the customs union and free trade area. This has been stated Now by TM and many others. If no deal is acceptable, they will fallback to WTO rules.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

13 hours ago, Grouse said:

Many years ago I lived in the town called Idle near Bradford. Here they had the wonderfully named "Idle Working Mens' Club" ?

I lived there in the early seventies.

Bradford Uni, do you remember the Bill Tidy cartoon in the SU bar?