May Wins a Battle but Brexit War Continues

The British Premier, Theresa May, managed to avoid a motion of censure against her government, but it remains to be seen if she will be able to offer supporters and critics a viable agreement for the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union ( EU).

After winning last night by a margin of 19 votes -325 to 306-, May called on all parliamentarians to put aside their personal interests and work together to materialize the Brexit, as the decision adopted by the British two years ago to withdraw from the European bloc is popularly known.

In fact, May began meetings with the other political leaders immediately after regaining the confidence of the majority of the members of the House of Commons.

Notorious, however, is the absence in these last-minute conciliatory talks of the Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn, who made it clear to the nation last night that any 'positive discussion' with the government will be conditioned on the commitment to not to withdraw from the EU without prior agreement.

Even those who agreed to dialogue, such as the Scottish National Party, who voted against the motion of censure, asked May for a gesture of good faith, and to include in the debate an extension of Article 50, the mechanism that will allow the United Kingdom to leave the bloc, and whose execution is scheduled for next March 29.

Like Corbyn, critics of the government also demand to rule out a way out without an agreement and to leave open the possibility of holding a second referendum on the issue.

The agreement, which was rejected on Tuesday by an overwhelming majority, raises the extension of the transition period foreseen after the departure, as well as the permanence of the United Kingdom in a single customs territory with the EU until a definitive trade agreement is signed.

It also ensures that a physical border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will not be established, and to ensure this, a safeguard clause known as the backstop was included.

London will also have to pay 39 billion pounds sterling (about 50 billion dollars at the current exchange rate) to the EU to pay its debts to the bloc's members, and guarantee the protection of the more than three million European citizens who live and work in the United Kingdom, and of the one million British that do the same in the EU.

The pact negotiated by May with Brussels is rejected, however, by both supporters and detractors of Brexit, considering that it does not respect the integrity of the British nation, and keeps it in total dependence on the European alliance.

According to analysts, a way out of the current crisis would be to adopt a trade agreement similar to the one maintained by Norway with the EU, because it would allow the United Kingdom to maintain its access to the European Single Market, and freedom of movement.

Another variant that is handled is a free trade pact in the style of Canada, which would allow a trade without tariffs with the bloc of 27 countries and the possibility of signing other agreements with the rest of the world, although with restrictions for the market free of services.

Any of these options will require, however, a delay in the entry into force of the Brexit beyond March 29, but for this, it will be necessary to have the approval of the EU.

The call for a second referendum is not ruled out either, especially after Corbyn reaffirmed last night his call for a popular vote on the issue.