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A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 27 November 2018

UK’s May fights to sell Brexit deal to a skeptical country

By JILL LAWLESS vince both the public and with us, and that wouldn’t rules and the obligations of want a harder or a softer
Associated Press lawmakers that the deal be a good thing.” membership at least until break with the EU. North-
LONDON (AP) — Prime Min- delivers on voters’ deci- “I don’t think that the prime the end of 2020 while a per- ern Ireland’s Democratic
ister Theresa May made a sion in 2016 to leave the minister meant that and manent new relationship is Unionist Party, which props
blunt appeal to skeptical EU “while providing a close hopefully she’ll be able to worked out. up May’s minority govern-
lawmakers on Monday to ment, also opposes it, as
back her divorce deal with do all the main opposition
the European Union: It isn’t parties.
perfect, but it’s all there “The Prime Minister and
is, and the alternative is a the whole House knows
leap into the unknown. the mathematics — this will
In essence, she urged Par- never get through,” said
liament: Let’s agree and Brexit-backing Conserva-
move on, for the sake of tive Mark Francois, who de-
the voters. scribed the deal “a surren-
Britain and the 27 other der” to the EU.
EU leaders signed off on Brexit Secretary Stephen
a Brexit deal Sunday after Barclay conceded that
more than a year and a “it’s going to be a chal-
half of tough negotiations. lenging vote.” But he said
It was a day many doubt- Britain would be in “chop-
ed would ever come, but py waters” if the deal was
May was anything but tri- rejected.
umphant as she reported Both Britain and the EU
back to Parliament, which are adamant that the
now controls the fate of U.K. can’t renegotiate the
the deal. May confirmed agreement, and oppo-
that British lawmakers will nents of the deal do not
vote Dec. 11, after several Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement on Brexit to the House of Commons in agree on what should hap-
London, Monday Nov. 26, 2018.
days of debate, on wheth- Associated Press pen next if Parliament re-
er to approve or reject the jects it. Some want an elec-
agreement. economic and security re- do something about that,” Labour Party leader Jeremy tion, others a new referen-
Scores of legislators — from lationship with our nearest Trump said outside the Corbyn said the “botched dum, and some say Britain
both the opposition and neighbors.” White House. “But right now deal” would leave Britain should leave the bloc with-
May’s governing Conser- But May’s defense of her as the deal stands, she may worse off, with “no say over out a deal.
vative Party — have vowed hard-won deal in Parlia- not, they may not be able EU rules and no certainty “I can say to the House
to oppose it. Rejection ment was followed by a to trade with the U.S. and I for the future.” with absolute certainty that
would plunge Britain into a torrent of criticism, from don’t think they want that “Plowing on is not stoic. there is not a better deal
political crisis and potential hard-core Brexit-backers, at all.” It’s an act of national self- available,” May said.
financial turmoil just weeks pro-EU lawmakers and pre- In response to Trump’s com- harm,” he said. She said rejecting it “would
before it is due to leave the viously loyal backbenchers ments, May’s 10 Downing May argued that the British open the door to more divi-
EU on March 29. alike. St. office said that under people are sick of endless sion and more uncertainty,
“No one knows what would In another potential blow the deal agreed with the debates about Brexit, and with all the risks that will
happen if this deal didn’t for May, President Donald EU, “we will have an inde- backing the deal would al- entail.”q
pass,” May told the House Trump said her agreement pendent trade policy so low “us to come together
of Commons. “sounds like a great deal for that the U.K. can sign trade again as a country which-
“Our duty as a Parliament the EU” that would make it deals with countries around ever way we voted.”
over these coming weeks more difficult for the U.K. to the world — including with “The majority of the British
is to examine this deal in strike a trade deal with the the U.S.” public want us to get on
detail, to debate it respect- U.S. Brexiteers see a wide- But during Monday’s de- with doing what they asked
fully, to listen to our constit- ranging trade deal with the bate in Parliament, legisla- us to,” she said.
uents and decide what is in U.S. as one of Britain’s main tors again expressed their The majority of lawmakers
our national interest.” goals after leaving the EU. deep unease, if not hatred, appear unconvinced. Doz-
Before then, May plans Trump said that “right now of the deal that keeps Brit- ens of Conservative legisla-
a frantic two-week cross- if you look at the deal they ain outside the EU with no tors say they will reject the
country campaign to con- may not be able to trade say but still subject to the deal, either because they