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A8 WORLD NEWS
Friday 16 November 2018
UK’s defiant May tells critics it’s her Brexit deal or chaos

By JILL LAWLESS Cameron’s successor, May,
RAF CASERT has been struggling ever
Associated Press since to deliver a Brexit that
LONDON (AP) — Prime Min- satisfies those who want
ister Theresa May defied to leave, reconciles those
mounting calls to quit or wanting to remain and
change course Thursday doesn’t rock the economy
over Britain’s withdrawal — a near-impossible bal-
from the European Union, ancing act.
warning that abandon- Thursday’s political may-
ing her Brexit plan would hem prompted a big fall
plunge the country into in the value of the pound,
“deep and grave uncer- which was trading 1.5 per-
tainty.” cent lower at $1.2797 as
Britain’s long-simmering di- investors fretted that Britain
visions over its future in the could crash out of the EU in
EU erupted into turmoil just March without a deal. That
a day after the govern- could see tariffs on Brit-
ment agreed to a divorce ish exports, border checks
deal with the bloc. Two and restrictions on travelers
Cabinet ministers resigned and workers — a poten-
and some lawmakers from tially toxic combination for
May’s own party called for businesses. Business groups
her to be replaced. The An anti-Brexit supporter holds a European flag by a banner across the street from the Houses of have warned that if there
crisis threatened to de- Parliament in London, Thursday Nov. 15, 2018. is no deal by next month,
stroy the Brexit agreement, Associated Press companies will have to
unseat the prime minister “Am I going to see this state, bound to EU rules it Brexit Secretary David Da- enact contingency plans
and send the U.K. hurtling through? Yes,” she said. has no say in making. vis and Raab as potential that could include cutting
toward the EU exit without The hard-won agreement May insisted that Brexit successors. Under Conser- jobs, stockpiling goods,
a plan. In an evening news with the EU has infuriated meant making “the right vative rules, a confidence and relocating produc-
conference aimed at re- pro-Brexit members of choices, not the easy vote in the leader is trig- tion overseas. May and her
gaining some control, May May’s divided Conserva- ones” and urged lawmak- gered if 15 percent of Con- supporters say the alterna-
said she believed “with ev- tive Party. They say the ers to support the deal “in servative lawmakers — cur- tives to her deal — leaving
ery fiber of my being that agreement, which calls for the national interest.” rently 48 — write a letter to the bloc without a deal or
the course I have set out is close trade ties between But she was weakened the party’s 1922 Committee a second vote on Brexit —
the right one for our coun- the U.K. and the bloc, by the resignation of two of backbenchers, which are not realistic options. If
try and all our people.” would leave Britain a vassal senior Cabinet ministers, oversees leadership votes. the agreement was aban-
including Brexit Secretary Only committee chairman doned, “nobody can know
Dominic Raab. Hours after Graham Brady knows for for sure the consequences
he sat in the meeting that sure how many missives that will follow,” May said.
approved the deal, Raab have been sent, but Rees- “It would be to take a
said he “cannot in good Mogg’s letter is likely to spur path of deep and grave
conscience” support it. others to do the same. If uncertainty when the Brit-
Work and Pensions Secre- a confidence vote is held ish people just want us to
tary Esther McVey followed and May loses, it would get on with it.” News that a
Raab out the door. She trigger a party leadership deal had been struck after
said in a letter that it is “no contest in which any Con- a year and a half of nego-
good trying to pretend to servative lawmaker — ex- tiations was welcomed in
(voters) that this deal hon- cept her — could run. The Brussels, and EU chief Don-
ors the result of the referen- turmoil is the latest eruption ald Tusk called for a Nov.
dum when it is obvious to in the Conservative Party’s 25 summit of leaders so
everyone that it doesn’t.” long-running civil war over they can rubber-stamp the
A handful of junior govern- Europe. Ever since Britain agreement.
ment ministers also quit, joined what was then the The deal requires the con-
and leading pro-Brexit law- European Economic Com- sent of the European Par-
maker Jacob Rees-Mogg munity in 1973, the party liament, whose chief Brexit
called for a vote of no-con- has been split between official, Guy Verhofstadt,
fidence in May. supporters and opponents welcomed it as “the best
Rees-Mogg said May’s of Britain’s membership. In agreement we could ob-
deal “is not Brexit” because 2016, then-Prime Minister tain.” It also needs approv-
it would keep Britain in a David Cameron called a al from Britain’s Parliament
customs union with the EU, referendum “to settle this before the U.K. leaves the
potentially for an indefinite European question in British bloc on March 29 — and
period. He said May was politics” once and for all. even if May survives as
“losing the confidence of He was confident the leader, the chances of that
Conservative members of country would vote to re- look slim.
Parliament.” main, but voters opted by Her Conservative govern-
Rees-Mogg called for May 52 percent to 48 percent ment doesn’t have a par-
to be replaced by a more to quit the EU, a result that liamentary majority, and
firmly pro-Brexit politician, left both the Conservatives relies on the support of the
naming ex-Foreign Secre- and the country more di- Democratic Unionist Party
tary Boris Johnson, former vided than ever. from Northern Ireland.q