“Humiliated” is the word which stands out in media reports of Theresa May’s visit to Brussels. The headlines describe a “rebuke” and the prime minister being “snubbed”. The pro-Brexit Sun went the furthest, saying the EU told May to “get stuffed”.
Brexiters have been quick to echo this narrative of humiliation at the hands of the EU. It feeds into their blame game, blaming anyone but themselves for Brexit not going well – and especially pitching the EU as a bully.
But it is the Brexiters who are the prime culprits for Theresa May’s humiliation – and by extension that of the country. The prime minister cut a poor figure at the European Council because she has not been able to sell her deal to Parliament – and the reason she can’t do that is because MPs won’t sign off on something that bears no resemblance to the fantasy promised by the Brexiters in the referendum.
Demand a vote on the Brexit deal
Click here to find out moreWithout the numbers in Parliament, there is little May can do to save her deal now. The kind of revisions Brexiters want cannot be granted by EU leaders. So she seeks something, anything, without being clear what. That led to the humiliating spectacle of May being caught on camera asking Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, why he described her Brexit approach as “nebulous”.
Europeans are not being unkind to May. One official even said that May had given her “best-ever performance at an EU Council”. But their stance is unsurprising. More fuzziness isn’t in their interests – or ours.
Since the referendum campaign the hardliners have pushed a bunch of contradictory promises and outright fantasies that could never be realised. May has been humiliated because she tried to make sense of a Brexit that cannot work. The best way to end this humiliating cycle is to stop this hopeless effort, and pass the decision back to the public.
Edited by Hugo Dixon
UK is being humiliated by a treacherous remainiac government and house of commons trying to subvert democracy. It is there for everyone to see. The whole world.
This is absurd and completely the wrong way round.
“snowflake” remainers are the problem makers, not believing in democracy. I cannot believe people are still fighting about this.
Remainers (in general) are showing such pathetic fear about the Strength of the U.K, outside of the E.U, I just cannot get my head around it.
Do you honestly think if we leave, there will be no trading between us and the EU… Look at the financials… They (EU) need to trade with us… It is so basically simple.
here here. Spot on
Democracy is all about changing your mind if new information comes to light. Which is pretty well what David Davis said – and he’s an arch-brexiteer. We had a referendum in 1974 and the “remainers” won it. Then we had a 2nd referendum in 2016 – so much for “subverting democracy” !!!! The referendum result was not holy writ handed down from on high on tablets of stone; it was forced on us by a small clique of self-interested elitists who were solely interested in their own ambition (and bank balances). Fantasy, lies and more lies, and poor fools lapped it up. This Brexit nonsense has damaged our country for a generation, no matter the outcome, and the world stands amazed that one of the most respected nations has turned into a squabbling mass of over-grown children. No wonder the exchange rate has bottomed out. We must STOP the madness NOW.
The corrupt “Elite” are those that want to stay in the EU not get out. The gravy train is over and people are angry, respect the vote or reap the whirlwind later.
Brexit politicians are the treacherous ones they have lied to the public, and then retreated because they never expected to win, and had no real idea of what to do with this new found freedom. PM handed them the brief and they blew it!
Nailed it in the first sentence. As soon as new information comes to light. Done.
How can having a vote on something subvert democracy?
Provided of course that the vote is free and fair; and ideally without either side deliberately mis-informing (lying to) the electorate.
Tell me, Nigel and Chris. Do you want another war? I have heard MPs from your side stating that we are in a war situation. They talk about the ‘enemy’ and them and us. Was the EU an issue for you in 2015? I bet you hardly gave it a thought! The 2016 referendum was a fraud, called to settle an argument in the Tory party. It was an example of how a process can be manipulated and then sold as the ‘will of the British people’. It has also released a layer of racism and nasty nationalism which encourages comments like yours. It isn’ t about ‘them’ and ‘us’. You sound as if you are living in 1930s. Europe has to move forward together, otherwise there will be a war. History proves it.
Jason,
I guess you realise that when the vote is considered by age range, the majority of under 50 year olds voted remain. Its only when you take into account the older voters that the vote was swung to Leave. It is a statement of the obvious that the older voter has less of a stake in the future, than the young who largely didn’t want Brexit, and I say that as an older voter.
I appreciate you might be a younger voter yourself, but it would be a bit of a stretch to say there will be a ‘whirlwind’ released because the elderly were successfully conned by the false £350 Million pounds a week claim that could be given to the NHS instead of funding the EU.
Well said William. The principal aim of the European project was and is the coming together in a collective effort to seek common aims and objectives, and in working together to achieve those aims, transform their personal and therefore national relationships. For this reason the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012. Trade is just one part of the activities of the EU and ultimately not the most important.
This reality has unfortunately been undermined in the popular nationalist press for the last 40 years by a continual campaign of misinformation and prejudice.
The problem is that the argument seems to have been lost to intellectual reason. Many supporters of Brexit have now been seduced into thinking that every counter argument is based on some sort of Orwellian, establishment, plot to take away their prised goal. They’ve still not realised that this seed was planted in their minds by: Rees-Mogg, BJ and Gove who would actually be archetype establishment figures if you had to create one from scratch
Many Brexit supporters remind me of members of the Flat Earth Society. Every scientist and academic can mathematically demonstrate that the Earth is a sphere, but they’d sooner cling on to the odd report that insists it is flat. 2% of economists and academics believe the UK will be better off after leaving the EU and their work, in turn, has dubious credibility. That means 98% don’t.
There are very few real and tangible opportunities to leaving the EU that haven’t been planted in the minds of people by these ardent Brexiteers. I’ve given up trying to persuade Brexit supporters of the merits of my arguments and they are based far too much on intellectual reason and fact.
It is sad to see how the popular press in the UK has undermind the raison d’etre of the EU. The EU project was always more than a trading or common market project. It was always about moving towards more unity a Federal United Europe, this old nation states concept wupported by Bannon, Trump, Farrage has served us badly. It is sad to see the UK public so against the EU project.. it has brought us welfare and made Europe thriving again.. it is a pity the UK leaves but so be it.. we can get on with the agenda, improve on it, make it even work better..
So David if I read you correctly you are saying the people of this country should not be allowed to decide if we want to stay in this organisation?????
This is why people like myself see the remain nutters as utterly undemocratic!
It seems quite ironic therefore that this site is dedicated to achieving another vote plainly because you don’t agree with the first vote.
What would we actually be voting for as nothing has yet happened? You say new facts have come to light which is rubbish. None are facts they are just opinions. After we have left they may become facts, who knows?
William is quite correct to compare the Brexiter’s aggression to the warmongering jingoism which led to the world wars . Many voted leave to “shake things up a bit” , and the no-deal fanatics still believe that a bit of destruction is a good thing. Life on earth is always a struggle between the forces of construction and renewal, and destruction and decay. One follows the other like war follow peace all through history, and Brexit is the current force of destruction in politics. It has well been described as a death cult.
The only thing in decay is the EU!
Theresa should be able to knock it over without too much difficulty then, Peter! No, it’s the UK that is weakened. In the midst of life is death, and in the midst of Britain is Brexit.
Peter,
No new facts as emerged?
Are you being serious?
How about none of the Leave campaigns promises of 2016 are true.
I know this is of no consequence to you, but a lot of people think that its fundamental to holding a fair Referendum. Even back then most people under 50 years old didn’t want Brexit. Even more don’t want it now.
The circumstance, information and mood have all changed. There is a new generation who need a say on their futures. Adapting and Changing is Democracy.
We must adapt to the present.
Nigel,
We live in a representative democracy. If the House of Commons is doing its job, i.e. representing us and looking after our best interests, it cannot be ‘subverting democracy’.
That’s why the referendum was advisory, because parliament is sovereign so has to make the final decision even after ‘the people have spoken’. Actually I haven’t seen them do anything other than respect the referendum result so I don’t really see your point.
Ok, let us assume this is all as you say (and I am also a big fan of representative democracy). Then the MPs need to take a decision on our behalf. Currently, this is between May’s deal and …. no deal, the only two leave options with an EU ‘approval’). As it is evident that there is no maority for the PM’s deal, we have to assume that the MPs back a hard Brexit. Is that so?
If not, where is the process to give parliament the options to vote on? That three week period for the PM after being voted down to presents an alternative (and which will not have the EU’s consent)?
And you see, I do not talk about a people’s vote…