may hopes to end cabinet disquiet
Tuesday 18 March 2025
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

With Brexit speech

May hopes to end cabinet disquiet

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleMay hopes to end cabinet disquiet

British Prime Minister Theresa May
London - Muslimchronicle

British Prime Minister Theresa May will make an eagerly anticipated Brexit speech in Florence on Friday, seeking to unlock stalled negotiations with Brussels as well as quell divisions in her own cabinet.

Six months after beginning the two-year process of withdrawing Britain from the European Union, the Conservative leader has yet to set out in detail what she wants from the divorce.

A fourth round of talks with the European Commission are due to begin on September 25 and the question of Britain's financial settlement remains a significant stumbling block.

The lack of clarity was reinforced when May's foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, laid out his own vision for Brexit in a newspaper article widely viewed as an attempt to force his premier's hand.

A senior official in Brussels said there were "high expectations" for May's speech, both on the money and another blocked issue -- the rights of EU nationals living in Britain after Brexit.

Businesses are also watching closely. The head of the CBI lobby group of business leaders, Carolyn Fairbairn, warned the risks of leaving the EU without a deal felt "all too real".

- 'Say what she wants' -

Without progress in next week's talks, EU leaders are unlikely to accept Britain's request to move the negotiations on to the future trading relationship at their next summit in October.

"The onus is on the British to come up with a serious offer to move the talks forward," Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform (CER), told AFP.

"Theresa May needs to make a serious offer on the money that she hasn't made so far. And on the transition, she needs to say what she wants."

The Financial Times reported that May would offer to meet Britain's commitments under the current EU budget, which runs to 2020, worth 20 billion euros (£18 billion, $24 billion).

This would mean continued payments during a transition deal that Britain wants to bridge the gap between Brexit in March 2019 and the implementation of a new trading arrangement.

A major problem for May is that her ministers still disagree on the future shape of Brexit -- highlighted by Johnson's 4,000-word article in the Daily Telegraph last weekend.

Johnson, a leading voice for Brexit in last year's referendum campaign who has long had leadership ambitions, argued for a clean break with the EU, including on financial matters.

He subsequently denied reports he had threatened to resign, and insisted the cabinet was as united as a "nest of singing birds".

- Home of Machiavelli -

Johnson's intervention highlighted the fragility of May's position, after her Conservatives lost their parliamentary majority in June's snap election.

The prime minister chose Florence to deliver her speech because it is the "historical heart" of Europe.

But some commentators have noted that the Italian city was also home to Machiavelli, the Renaissance philosopher and author of "The Prince" who has become a byword for slippery politicians.

A cartoon in the Daily Telegraph had Johnson and members of the cabinet grappling with each other and snakes subbed "Brexitus", an apparent reference to a sculpture in the Uffizi Gallery.

The Times, meanwhile, had Johnson as King Kong, holding May in one hand as he swung on the famous dome of Florence's cathedral.

The prime minister has insisted she is in control, saying on Monday: "The UK government is driven from the front and we all have the same destination in our sights."

May has called a special cabinet meeting for Thursday morning, when she is expected to brief ministers about what she will say in Florence -- and ensure they fall in line.

Former Conservative leader William Hague said it was "about time" that ministers rallied around.

"The period of negotiating publicly with each other is over, and .. the time for negotiating in earnest with the EU has begun," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph.

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

may hopes to end cabinet disquiet may hopes to end cabinet disquiet

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 08:26 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Five things to know about Davos

GMT 11:05 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Protests rock Iraqi Kurdistan despite police clampdown

GMT 14:06 2017 Saturday ,16 December

16 insurgents killed in eastern Afghan provinces

GMT 11:46 2015 Monday ,13 July

Get the Armani Privé look

GMT 10:53 2017 Tuesday ,17 January

Rio Tinto ships more iron ore as prices surge

GMT 09:18 2017 Tuesday ,05 September

US pushes for 'strongest possible' UN sanctions

GMT 10:34 2017 Tuesday ,14 November

UAE Ambassador, Saudi Governor discuss relations

GMT 08:22 2015 Sunday ,01 November

Trump, bacon and creativity at NYC Halloween parade

GMT 15:39 2017 Wednesday ,04 January

Global launch by Huawei of new mid-range smartphone

GMT 08:44 2016 Tuesday ,22 March

Indonesian drivers stage violent anti-Uber protest

GMT 12:52 2017 Monday ,06 March

Air pollution linked to 600,000 deaths

GMT 14:15 2017 Thursday ,07 September

Outspoken Tanzanian opposition figure shot and wounded

GMT 09:00 2017 Sunday ,23 July

Turkish president begins his 2-day Gulf tour

GMT 07:30 2017 Friday ,07 April

US launches missile strike on Syria airbase

GMT 19:38 2017 Tuesday ,26 September

King Salman orders driving licenses for women
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle