Why a Woolly Political Declaration Might Help Theresa May Get her Brexit Deal Through Parliament

The fact that British politics has still not recognised that the future relationship will be negotiated only after the withdrawal agreement is agreed is indicative of a public debate that has struggled with the detail; failed to grasp the parameters of what is being negotiated and when; and has wilfully ignored the power imbalance in favour of the EU inherent in the Article 50 process. But once MPs realise that the eventual landing zone is bound to remain uncertain even after the withdrawal agreement is finalised, and the inevitable outcry subsides, an ambiguous political declaration could yet prove to be the best of bad options for May, and for Brexiteers of all stripes.

• Primary Source

United Kingdom: Department for Exiting the European Union: White Paper, July 2018: The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/white-paper-the-future-relationship-between-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

Chatham House: Expert Comment, 16.07.18: Why Theresa May Can’t Figure Out Brexit https://www.chathamhouse.org/expert/comment/why-theresa-may-can-t-figure-out-brexit

The UK in a Changing Europe: September 2018: The Brexit Endgame http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-brexit-endgame-a-short-guide/

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