Our Brexit fate is in the hands of France’s president Macron – which is “not a wholly comfortable state of affairs,” in the euphemistic words of a minister. What this minister means is the Prime Minister and her close colleagues are a long way from being convinced Macron will underwrite EU president Donald Tusk’s proposal for the UK to be granted a year’s delay to Brexit, with a break clause to allow us to leave the EU earlier if all the political and legal niceties can be completed earlier. They believe – rightly or wrongly – Macron has three serious reservations with conceding such a longish and relatively unfettered extension:
1) Macron sees merit in punishing the UK for Brexiting, in order to deter populists in other EU countries from pursuing agendas to extricate their respective nations from the EU.
2) Macron fears Jacob Rees-Mogg speaks for a number of the candidates to succeed Theresa May – and notably Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab – in urging the UK to abandon the “duty of sincere co-operation” with other EU members, were our membership of the EU to be extended.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in