Will Theresa May’s Florence speech break the Brexit deadlock?

Roger LIDDLE Labour member of the House of Lords and Co-Chair of Policy Network [vc_btn title= »Download article » style= »outline » color= »primary » align= »right » i_icon_fontawesome= »fa fa-file-pdf-o » add_icon= »true » link= »url:http%3A%2F%2Fconfrontations.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F10%2FConfrontations-Europe-n%C2%B0-119-PDF-BD-p06-07.pdf||target:%20_blank| »] Brexit is proving an existential threat to the British Conservative party. ‘Brexit means Brexit’ has proved to be one of the most meaningless aphorisms invented by politicians to cover up their own lack of a coherent strategy for the UK’s future. The June 2016 offered the electorate a simple binary choice: Remain or Leave. But the reality is that Leaving offers a range of multiple choice options, each of which has limited attractions and when specified, might not command majority support as against the status quo. Until recently Brexit supporters pointed to the ‘clarity’ provided by Theresa May’s Lancaster House speech in January. Though couched in the reassuring rhetoric of Britain seeking a “deep and special partnership with the EU”, the whole approach of the Lancaster