FT editor Lionel Barber and chief political commentator Robert Shrimsley on the narrowing options to halt the UK’s split from the EU. They argue Remainers lack the ideological cohesion, conviction and passion of the Leave camp. Read more at
We’ve heard a lot about the levers those people led by boris johnson prime minister who insist that britain will leave the european union by october the 31st no ifs and buts but what about the remainders those that think there is a chance of stopping brexit what chance well there is a very very narrow window within the british parliamentary cycle but it’s open
Little more than a crack and it’s getting smaller and smaller each day i think there are and we should talk what the king to stop is no deal breaks it more than just braces itself i think there are two options available to those people who want to line up against boris johnson the first is a vote of confidence to bring him down his majorities officially only one
He’s got a little bit more to play with but not much bring his government down force the general election the problem with that is it’s become clear that because of the nature of the british constitution he could probably delay that election until after brics it has happened unless they can offer up a rival administration and the it looks at the government of
So-called national unity and you’ve had some figures caroline lucas suggesting that this new government of national unity should be comprised just of women yes they’ve got more say that was a strangely tokenistic call she said let’s have it all women cabinet but i think what she was attempting to do was cut through the fact that party issues and tribal loyalties
Are stopping the different parties from being paired to work together liberal democrats won’t serve under jeremy corbyn rebel tories wouldn’t either jeremy corbyn wouldn’t count on and serving under anybody else so they’re possibly pulling together that kind of caretaker government and the braces don’t like it being called a government of national unity because
They say well it’s only one side of the argument but this caretaker government it looks very very difficult to assemble so if you can’t do that then the only other option is to try to legislate to block a no deal bricks it as they succeeded in doing under theresa may but here again there’s a problem was that the cooper letting the focal cooper let won’t amendment
Here again there’s a problem because the way the european union works is a request for an extension to delay brexit date has to come from the government and if the government is refusing to do it legislation can make it tricky so then you find yourself back in will have to bring this government down territory but you’ve wasted a lot of time so it’s it’s very very
Tricky for the remaining is there a deus ex machinae the queen perhaps that could resolve this possible deadlock or do you think actually it’ll be senior civil servants the queen will not want to intervene directly in politics making any choice that isn’t apparently obvious to the rest of the country so if the assembled forces of opponents of boris johnson are able
To unite behind one figure and say to the queen we believe x commands a majority in the house then she would under advice probably call for them but she’s not gonna go looking to solve this problem for the politicians and there is something even deeper here and you will allude to this in your writing robert that the remainders don’t have or appear not to have that
Ideological cohesiveness and conviction and passion that the levers have yes i mean i’ve written in it in a contrary that the levers particularly under boris johnson his chief of staff dominic cummings a disciple of bismarck you should know have essentially adopted the goldwater maxim moderation and defense of brics it is no virtue extremism in defense of brics
It is no vice and that’s barry goldwater who completely bombed in the 1964 election but they believe they get it they are going all out with an absolute single mindedness and it’s making a government with the way for thin majority very hard to resist it at the moment and the remainders are not getting their act together in fighting them extraordinary really given
That as you say boris johnson has a nominal majority of one conviction brings you a lot these days it does thank you robertson’s lee
Transcribed from video
Brexit: Remainers are failing to get their act together | FT By Financial Times
