There is a fine line between accepting defeat and admitting that you were wrong. On one hand, accepting defeat means recognizing that despite exhausting every option at your disposal, you failed to complete what you set out to do. On the other hand, admittance of error is a mature response that often comes after several informed individuals suggested information that contradicted your beliefs/motives, but nevertheless, you persisted. Then, there are unique snowflake-like situations where a person must accept defeat because they were wrong, and this predicament is where we find our protagonist in today’s episode of “Emergency Brexit” starring British Prime Minister Theresa May.
For the sake of due diligence as a storyteller, allow me to get you up to speed on the Brexit situation. Back in June 2016, a gaggle of Britains was feeling pretty confident in themselves and the future of their country, so they voted, 52 to 48 percent, to leave the confines of the European Union, arguing that the United Kingdom would regain control over its borders, and perhaps take a second go at colonizing America. Those opposed to the infamous “Brexit” warned everyone that leaving the bloc would result in chaos. Suffice to say, the “Brexiteers” came out on top and the remaining 27 EU member-states approved the UK’s agreement to leave the union at a summit in Brussels several weeks ago, according to Vox. As daunting as the process was, the captain of the good ship Brexit, Prime Minister Theresa May is tasked with convincing her 650-member parliament to approve the deal.
On Monday, with her tail between her legs, PM Theresa May advocated to postpone the UK Parliament’s vote on the Brexit deal, in a move that many are saying was done because May knows Parliament will shut the whole deal down. May told Parliament “if we went ahead and held the vote tomorrow (Tuesday), the deal would be defeated by a significant margin. We will, therefore, defer the vote scheduled for tomorrow and not proceed to divide the house at this time.” You’ve got to admit that Theresa May has got some serious moxie for postponing the vote on Brexit, even after months of contentious debate, and the tooth-pulling process of convincing the EU to approve the deal. The truth is she doesn’t have the votes, but per the example that began today’s lesson, sometimes it takes a while for a person to admit they were wrong and, in this case, accept defeat.
One of the more contentious components of May’s Brexit deal is referred to as the “Irish backstop,” which requires that the border between Northern Ireland (still part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland (EU territory) remain open. Experts view the “Irish backstop” as a legislative insurance policy of sorts, allowing for one country in the UK to remain in adherence of the four fundamental freedoms of the EU: free movement of people, services, capital, and goods. Valiant as this might on Prime Minister Theresa May’s part, this part of Brexit seeks to keep the UK connected to the European Union without being a member of the bloc, in a loophole of sorts.
“I spoke to a number of EU leaders over the weekend, and in advance of the European council, I will go to see my counterparts in other member states and the leadership of the council and the commission. I will discuss with them the clear concerns that this House [of Commons] has expressed.”
–British Prime Minister Theresa May
At this point, it seems to be that no one has even the foggiest idea of what the future holds for the Brexit deal. PM Theresa May’s postponement of the UK parliament vote baffled many in the geopolitical arena and everyone, including Parliament, is still trying to get their bearings on the situation. Per the recondite Brexit deal, the UK will be leaving the European Union in exactly 108 days. As for Theresa May’s next course of action, perhaps she’s finally recognized her mistake and is ready to accept defeat.
