Theresa May Gets Boost Amidst Brexit Battle

Theresa May at the 2017 EU Summit in Tallinn. (Raul Mee, EU2017EE)

Theresa May received praise at a meeting on October 24 as she sought the support of her critics amidst Brexit talks.

The meeting took place amidst speculation about the future of May’s leadership, with some suggesting she was on the verge of being ousted from her position by a vote of no confidence. Many disgruntled MPs have voiced their opposition against May’s Chequers blueprint for leaving the EU, which proposes remaining in the European single market for goods, continued harmonization between the U.K. and EU, gives the U.K. an independent trade policy with the ability to set its own non-EU tariffs and to reach separate trade deals, and puts an end to the free movement of people. In fact, the deal has been criticized by both sides of the Brexit spectrum, with Remainers arguing against its severity and Leavers angered by the continued connection to Brussels.

At a meeting with the body known as the 1922 Committee, an elected body of MPs representing backbenchers and overseeing leadership contests, May highlighted concessions from the EU, along with the changed role of the European Court of Justice in enforcing the rights of EU citizens in the U.K. She used these as examples of her strategy’s successes in attempts to garner support.

Prior to the meeting, various MPs commented that May would be fighting for her political life during the talk, with some Conservative MPs suggesting that May would be entering a “killing zone.” Despite this pessimism, a number of MPs reported that May put forward a convincing argument for her plans.

Conservative MP Michael Fabricant reported that the meeting resembled “not a lion’s den, but a petting zoo.” General Geoffrey Cox commented that May’s remarks throughout the meeting were “very good,” while MP for Basildon John Baron noted that the mood at the meeting was generally optimistic, the majority mindset being to “get behind the PM and get this over the line.” Former Home Secretary Amber Rudd shed further light on the tone of the meeting, saying that May "was able to win the room, despite being frank about difficulties still there.”

Despite the meeting’s generally positive outcome, May has been under fire for several weeks now, with many MPs hesitant to accept her exit plans. Over the weekend prior to the meeting, one Tory backbencher illustrated a gloomy future for May, arguing that "the moment is coming when the knife gets heated, stuck in her front and twisted." Furthermore, social media campaigns such as Standup4Brexit, which is backed by 50 MPs, have been created to call for May to do away with her current strategy, arguing that the U.K. will come out worse off following her plan. Even after the meeting, one MP suggested that the odds of May surviving another week were 50-50.

While talks over Brexit are believed to be almost complete, deliberation has stalled in recent weeks with regard to the Irish border issue concerning border checks between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Despite this small victory, May’s future as both the face of Brexit and as prime minister remains to be seen.