Theresa May admits she will have to soften Brexit

Theresa May’s statement in Downing Street was very different in tone to what she said a fortnight ago. She praised the best efforts of MPs and tried to strike a more conciliatory pose.

May said she would request another Article 50 extension but she wanted it to be short so the UK would not have to participate in the European Elections. She invited Jeremy Corbyn in for talks, with the aim of either agreeing a common position on the future relationship or agreeing on a series of propositions to put to MPs with the government being bound by the result.

In adopting this approach, May is essentially admitting that she can’t get the votes from her own governing bloc to pass her deal and so will have to soften Brexit. This will cause unhappiness in her own party. But there are risks in this process for Corbyn too. If he works with May on softer Brexit options, then he’ll upset those in the Labour party who want to Remain or are opposed to anything that doesn’t lead to a second referendum.

Two questions immediately spring to mind about May’s approach. First, is there a majority in the Commons for anything? The failure of the two sets of indicative votes does raise questions about this. But with the government whip relaxed, there probably is a majority for some kind of customs union with the EU. Second, will the EU accept this request for a short extension? It is by no means certain that the Commons will have indicated with clarity where it wants to go by the European Council on the 10^th of April. A short extension also raises the risk of an accidental no deal, because once the UK has not participated in the European Elections then a further extension really could not be granted.

May is hoping that her approach will get some kind of Brexit over the line and avoid the UK having to participate in the European Elections. I suspect that Brexiteers in government will reconcile themselves to it on the grounds that once the UK is out, then a future Tory government with a majority can try and take the country out of the customs union. But May is relying an awful lot on Corbyn and the EU cooperating with her strategy.