Can anyone defend today's shambolic events?

[Bearbehind]

So it seems TM decided to ignore the fact the DUP has said all along they wouldn't support different rules for NI and tell the EU that that was how we are planning to resolve the border issue.

Then Arlene points out that they weren't bluffing and will not support it so TM has to back track.

It's a fucking joke.

TM and her government continue to think everyone else will just back down if they plough on with their arrogant plans.

When are they going to get real?

Seriously, is there any defence for this staggering display of incomptentence?

[IsaSchmisa]

It will probably include the words remoaners, brexit means brexit and not a lot else.

Strong and stable!

[abilockhart]

It's embarrassing. Complete lazy dozy idiots.

No doubt they will try to blame it all on the EU or 'the Irish' or anyone else.

[wonderstuff]

NI, Scotland, Wales, London and Gibraltar all want to stay in the customs union and single market, I’m pretty sure that brexit camp were saying that we would stay in cu and sm during the campaign. How can we do anything else?
Huge waste of time and money, we’ll not get a better deal, everyone knew that surely.

[Neolara]

Well, to be fair to TM, any option she chose to pursue would have pissed off one group or another. It's pretty much a no win situation for her.

[ChardonnaysPrettySister]

Whatever TM or anyone else does, Brexit is undeliverable.

It can't be done.

[LivLemler]

A complete fiasco. I'm personally fine with the solution they came up with, but can see perfectly clearly why unionists (not just the DUP) wouldn't be.

Utterly shambolic that May seemingly made a huge decision for NI without actually consulting anyone from here, not even her own partners. What an insult. I actually found myself feeling sorry for Arlene Foster which was an unexpected first. 2017 eh.

[wonderstuff]

Why trigger article 50 without a plan? If the party is so divided she’ll lose her majority whatever she does she needs to go back to the country. She should never have propped herself up with the DUP, what did she think would happen?

[Abra1d]

Wales voted leave, wonderstuff

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36612308

So I have limited sympathy. Leave posters were everywhere in Cardiff, a recipient of much EU money.

[wonderstuff]

I misinterpreted the bbc reporting - Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that if Northern Ireland was allowed to operate under different rules there was "surely no good practical reason" why other parts of the UK could not do the same - a message echoed by Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

So in fact they all want special deals, which isn’t a workable solution!

[CheeriosEverywhere]

I just saw on the BBC news that May was "completely surprised by the actions of the DUP re the deal".

My cat could have told her what the reaction of the DUP would have been! How could anyone possibly be even slightly surprised?

[Queenofthesheds]

The DUP and TM are in a crazy standoff. The only leverage the DUP aha is confidence and supply, and if they pull that and then there’s a general election, Corbyn will get in, and the DUP are away from the table again.

As the Irish Times said today “This time, Mrs May blinked.”

It’s a bloody shambles though. The most important and complex negotiations ever and th chief negotiator didn’t even want to leave in the first place.

I never thought I’d say this but I feel sorry for TM, on a personal level. She looks bloody knackered. If I was her I’d throw in the towel, have some sort of a funny turn, take a year off and then take it in on the US lecture circuit.

And is totally throw a sickie this week.

[UrsulaPandress]

I give up.

[LizzieSiddal]

Agree with you Op. the arrogance of the govt. and Brexiteers in general is astounding. They really do think the EU will role over and give them whatever they want. They also don’t give a shit about the GFA.

It’s a shambles predicted by every Remainer commentator and politician. I’m glad it’s a shambles and hope and pray it leads to another referendum or a very soft Brexit.

[LizzieSiddal]

Queen I don’t feel sorry for her at all. She is totally incompetent as PM. She should recognise her huge mistakes: triggering Article 50 too soon and calling an unnessary election and have the decency to resign.

[Sludgecolours]

Cheerios very much agree about "surprise" element

Call me cynical, but I smell a very large and pungent rat!

[Queenofthesheds]

Why DOESNT she resign? It’s genuinely a mystery to me. She’s finished politically anyway.

[zsazsajuju]

The whole thing is a big wriggling can of worms. No fan of Theresa May but there's no answer really that I can see to deliver brexit and keep the DUP and Irish gov happy. I agree that she should never have triggered art 50 till she had worked out some sort of coherent plan.

[TheABC]

At this stage, I am just watching with horrified fascination. I knew we had crap politicians, but I always assumed a certain level of communication and basic self-interest. It's the British version of hari -kari on an international stage.

Thank fuck Ireland has a veto. I really don't want the Troubles back again.

[Peregrina]

I just saw on the BBC news that May was "completely surprised by the actions of the DUP re the deal".

She just does not have a finger on the pulse of what's happening. Hence calling an election where she "sensed the country was behind her, but Parliament wasn't." Whereas Parliament rolled over and said, "tickle my tummy", but the Country said, "Wait a minute, we are not sure about all this."

Part of it, is to do with her own personality - she doesn't make friends easily, relying on a few trusted advisers. The trouble is, for a PM, that's a recipe for disaster, she needs to have her ear to the ground and listen to the gossip. Or have someone to do that for her, and then listen to them. Again, listening is not her strong suit.

[Sludgecolours]

Agree TM's an isolated lone wolf but this is a bit more than not having her finger on the pulse. Personally, I don't think it is credible that TM and her negotiators would go ahead without sounding out the DUP first. She knew very well they would not be sidelined. And then we were told about the lunch and the precise timing of the "surprise" phone call from Arlene Foster. I am sorry but the more I think about it, the more I just don't buy it.

[nowt]

I saw a tweet recently with a letter from an MP who basically said we’re doing Brexit because it would embarrassing to change our minds. But surely, getting repeatedly fucked in all negotiations and having to climb down on every confident statement of progress is hugely embarrassing.

Wouldn’t it be less embarrassing to start making a positive case for abandoning the whole idea. I understand that would be hard, but not as impossible as Brexit seems right now.

[Oblomov17]

Not that I'm a TM fan (who is?) but who will replace her? And what would they do differently?

[LizzieSiddal]

i wonder if this will mean a “shock”
announcement “the only way to satisfy the GFA is for the whole of the UK to stay in the single market?

That would make me very happy.

[GreenPurpleRed]

I said to dh that TM sees DUP as loyslists that will accept anything that's for the good of the "UK". Well the was a wake up call she wasn't expecting

This last fiasco is so fucking unbelievable I just can't believe no in that there Westminister is doing anything about it