Theresa May’s Brexit deal demands a free vote by MPs | Simon Jenkins

With the parties divided, MPs should be able to vote in the national interest for a deal that avoids chaos

For Theresa May, Brexit does not mean Brexit. It means exit. There is nothing more exhilarating to the House of Commons than a prime minister on the run. There is a smell of blood in the water. Sharks cruise the corridors. British politicians set aside the nation’s interest. They default to raw ambition.

But it is not exit yet. May has nine lives, even if she is on her last one. For two years she has blundered. She has promised frictionless trade but no customs union. She has rejected Norway and Canada. She has tried to appease everyone in the hope that something would turn up. Finally, at Chequers in the summer and again at cabinet on Wednesday, the basic weakness of Britain’s negotiating position was laid bare.

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2RWhUD4
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