May lost her chance at leadership long ago
Just a few days ago, allies of the Prime Minister were talking about her desire to focus on the domestic policy agenda once a Brexit withdrawal deal was agreed by parliament.
Nobody hearing such a claim could take it seriously, but it represented the last desperate effort to cling to a vision of the future where Theresa May steered the country through Brexit and returned to the things she spoke about when she became PM: “burning social injustices” and a sweeping programme of reform. The reality is that the PM’s only legacy will be Brexit – whether delivered or bungled. Last night, in a final bid to engineer the former, she told her MPs that if her deal got through parliament she would stand down and let them pick someone else to lead the country – and the crucial negotiations with the EU over our future relationship.
Ten days ago, this newspaper argued in this column that such a move was necessary. It had been clear for some time that her resignation would likely be the final bone she had to throw when all other avenues of persuasion or pleading had been exhausted.
But we also argued that the country would benefit from a new leader able to articulate a sense of direction, purpose and clarity once the diplomatic heavy lifting had finally delivered on the result of the referendum. If she succeeds in doing this, May will deserve immense credit for completing an almost impossible task. But before we start to write the political obituary, there is the small matter of passing her withdrawal deal.
Her offer to Tory MPs will certainly focus their minds and see many more swing behind her deal, but anti-Brexit MPs won’t simply pack up and go home. They’re just getting into the swing of things.
What’s more, the DUP appears no closer to backing May. It’s possible that even the PM’s final, desperate bargaining won’t be enough to revive her flagging deal. However, for all the constitutional novelty on display in parliament last night, May’s deal remains the only truly viable way to leave the EU and it deserves to be supported. After that, the country will deserve a new leader and Theresa May will deserve a rest.