MM
2017-03-07 08:56:51 UTC
The Independent, Monday 6 March 2017:
"Exclusive: Even Tory voters do not give majority support to leave the
EU with no deal if Parliament rejects the terms Ms May agrees with
Brussels"
"Britons overwhelmingly oppose Theresa Mays plan to quit the EU with
no deal in place if Parliament dares to reject the terms she agrees
with Brussels, an exclusive poll has revealed.
"The BMG Research study showed twice as many people would rather the
UK stay in the EU or try and secure a different deal, if MPs and Lords
do not endorse the agreement the Prime Minister returns from Europe
with.
"The survey for The Independent also showed the public are bracing
themselves for a Brexit hit on the economy over the next two years as
painstaking negotiations over future relations play out.
"It comes ahead of a major stand-off between Ms Mays Government and
the House of Lords, which is demanding Parliament be guaranteed in law
the final say on approving her Brexit deal and given power to send her
back to the negotiating table if it is rejected.
"So far Ms May has only given a verbal assurance Parliament will have
a vote on her deal and has warned that if MPs and peers ditch her
terms, the UK will simply leave the EU without a deal and trade with
the bloc on World Trade Organisation rules -- something many believe
will be hugely damaging to the economy.
"Asked what 'should happen next' if Parliament rejects Ms Mays deal,
just 25 per cent said 'we should leave the EU with no set future
relations in place and revert to trading with the EU on World Trade
Organisation rules.'
"A greater proportion, 27 per cent, said Ms May should try to
renegotiate a deal, 14 per cent said we should stay in the EU on new
terms that Ms May should try to negotiate and 15 per cent said we
should stay in on existing terms -- a total of 56 per cent who
favoured options at odds with the Prime Ministers plan to quit and
trade on WTO rules.
"Even among Tory voters only 38 per cent backed leaving with no deal,
while 38 per cent supported renegotiating and a further 18 per cent
opting for staying in the EU on existing or new terms.
"Only last week, ex-Tory Prime Minister Sir John Major warned that
quitting with no deal would be 'the worst possible outcome' for
Britain with 'worrying implications for public services such as the
NHS'.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-latest-news-theresa-may-plan-leave-eu-no-plan-uk-public-oppose-prime-minister-a7614526.html
So, while Brexiters can jeer and sneer at non-Brexiters, the fact
remains that the country as a whole *wants* the government to do a
deal with the EU, making Mrs May sit uncomfortably between a rock and
a hard place. Lord Hague is now calling for a general election, and
we'll see how confident she is by observing her response. My guess is
she'll fight tooth and nail to avoid an election.
MM
"Exclusive: Even Tory voters do not give majority support to leave the
EU with no deal if Parliament rejects the terms Ms May agrees with
Brussels"
"Britons overwhelmingly oppose Theresa Mays plan to quit the EU with
no deal in place if Parliament dares to reject the terms she agrees
with Brussels, an exclusive poll has revealed.
"The BMG Research study showed twice as many people would rather the
UK stay in the EU or try and secure a different deal, if MPs and Lords
do not endorse the agreement the Prime Minister returns from Europe
with.
"The survey for The Independent also showed the public are bracing
themselves for a Brexit hit on the economy over the next two years as
painstaking negotiations over future relations play out.
"It comes ahead of a major stand-off between Ms Mays Government and
the House of Lords, which is demanding Parliament be guaranteed in law
the final say on approving her Brexit deal and given power to send her
back to the negotiating table if it is rejected.
"So far Ms May has only given a verbal assurance Parliament will have
a vote on her deal and has warned that if MPs and peers ditch her
terms, the UK will simply leave the EU without a deal and trade with
the bloc on World Trade Organisation rules -- something many believe
will be hugely damaging to the economy.
"Asked what 'should happen next' if Parliament rejects Ms Mays deal,
just 25 per cent said 'we should leave the EU with no set future
relations in place and revert to trading with the EU on World Trade
Organisation rules.'
"A greater proportion, 27 per cent, said Ms May should try to
renegotiate a deal, 14 per cent said we should stay in the EU on new
terms that Ms May should try to negotiate and 15 per cent said we
should stay in on existing terms -- a total of 56 per cent who
favoured options at odds with the Prime Ministers plan to quit and
trade on WTO rules.
"Even among Tory voters only 38 per cent backed leaving with no deal,
while 38 per cent supported renegotiating and a further 18 per cent
opting for staying in the EU on existing or new terms.
"Only last week, ex-Tory Prime Minister Sir John Major warned that
quitting with no deal would be 'the worst possible outcome' for
Britain with 'worrying implications for public services such as the
NHS'.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-latest-news-theresa-may-plan-leave-eu-no-plan-uk-public-oppose-prime-minister-a7614526.html
So, while Brexiters can jeer and sneer at non-Brexiters, the fact
remains that the country as a whole *wants* the government to do a
deal with the EU, making Mrs May sit uncomfortably between a rock and
a hard place. Lord Hague is now calling for a general election, and
we'll see how confident she is by observing her response. My guess is
she'll fight tooth and nail to avoid an election.
MM