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Theresa May Offers ‘Great Repeal Bill,’ and Opponents Promise ‘Hell’ Theresa May Offers ‘Great Repeal Bill,’ and Opponents Promise ‘Hell’
(about 9 hours later)
LONDON — Weakened by the loss of her parliamentary majority, Britain’s prime minister, Theresa May, pressed ahead on Thursday with legislative plans to extract her country from the European Union, publishing a dense, technical bill that will ultimately test her fragile grip on the job she wrested from a pack of rivals a year ago.LONDON — Weakened by the loss of her parliamentary majority, Britain’s prime minister, Theresa May, pressed ahead on Thursday with legislative plans to extract her country from the European Union, publishing a dense, technical bill that will ultimately test her fragile grip on the job she wrested from a pack of rivals a year ago.
After her gamble in calling an early general election backfired last month, Mrs. May now faces the formidable task of negotiating with the other 27 European Union member countries while knowing that she could be undercut by her own Parliament at any time as she pushes ahead on British withdrawal, known as Brexit.After her gamble in calling an early general election backfired last month, Mrs. May now faces the formidable task of negotiating with the other 27 European Union member countries while knowing that she could be undercut by her own Parliament at any time as she pushes ahead on British withdrawal, known as Brexit.
Amid open speculation about her political longevity, Mrs. May had little to celebrate on her anniversary in Downing Street, and on Thursday she told the BBC that she had shed a “little tear” when she first learned of exit polls indicating that her decision to hold a general election had deprived her Conservative Party of its majority.Amid open speculation about her political longevity, Mrs. May had little to celebrate on her anniversary in Downing Street, and on Thursday she told the BBC that she had shed a “little tear” when she first learned of exit polls indicating that her decision to hold a general election had deprived her Conservative Party of its majority.
Her mood may not have been lifted by colorful criticism from Amyas Morse, the head of the National Audit Office, a respected spending watchdog. He compared the government’s approach to Brexit to a chocolate orange, a treat popular in Britain, in that it might fall apart “at the first tap.”Her mood may not have been lifted by colorful criticism from Amyas Morse, the head of the National Audit Office, a respected spending watchdog. He compared the government’s approach to Brexit to a chocolate orange, a treat popular in Britain, in that it might fall apart “at the first tap.”
Yet, Mrs. May’s problems are likely to be just beginning with the introduction of the 66-page bill, designed to transfer European Union law onto the British statute book. Given the new parliamentary arithmetic, the bill, once seen as a largely technocratic, seems likely to pitch her into battle with opposition parties and could draw her government into a political quagmire. Yet, Mrs. May’s problems are likely to be just beginning with the introduction of the 66-page bill, designed to transfer European Union law onto the British statute book. The bill, once seen as largely technocratic, seems likely to pitch her into battle with opposition parties and could draw her government into a political quagmire.
The legislation, called the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill and known as the “great repeal bill,” is vital in order to ensure that there is no legal vacuum when Britain quits the bloc as it plans to do in 2019. The legislation, called the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill and known as the “great repeal bill,” is vital to ensure that there is no legal vacuum when Britain quits the bloc as it plans to do in 2019.
Introducing the document, David Davis, the secretary of state for exiting the European Union, said it would allow Britain to quit the bloc “with maximum certainty, continuity and control.”Introducing the document, David Davis, the secretary of state for exiting the European Union, said it would allow Britain to quit the bloc “with maximum certainty, continuity and control.”
But the pro-European Liberal Democrat Party predicted that passing the bill would be “hell,” while the main opposition Labour Party had promised to vote against the legislation unless there are significant changes. For one thing, the bill published on Thursday does not propose to bring the European Union’s charter of fundamental rights into domestic law — something opposition parties want. But the pro-European Liberal Democrat Party predicted that passing the bill would be “hell,” while the main opposition Labour Party had promised to vote against it unless significant changes are made. For one thing, the bill published Thursday does not propose to bring the European Union’s charter of fundamental rights into domestic law — something opposition parties want.
Although Mrs. May has the support of 10 Northern Irish lawmakers from the ultraconservative Democratic Unionist Party, she can lose a vote with the defection of as few as seven of her own Conservative Party lawmakers. There are thought to be 20 to 30 such potential rebels who are alarmed at Mrs. May’s Brexit plans, which put the control of immigration ahead of economic considerations and reject any post-Brexit role for the European Court of Justice.Although Mrs. May has the support of 10 Northern Irish lawmakers from the ultraconservative Democratic Unionist Party, she can lose a vote with the defection of as few as seven of her own Conservative Party lawmakers. There are thought to be 20 to 30 such potential rebels who are alarmed at Mrs. May’s Brexit plans, which put the control of immigration ahead of economic considerations and reject any post-Brexit role for the European Court of Justice.
The Labour Party says it accepts the result of last year’s referendum in which 52 percent of those who voted opted to leave the European Union. However, it is campaigning to maintain closer economic ties with the bloc than Mrs. May wants, a message that with anti-austerity themes seemed to resonate with voters in last month’s election.The Labour Party says it accepts the result of last year’s referendum in which 52 percent of those who voted opted to leave the European Union. However, it is campaigning to maintain closer economic ties with the bloc than Mrs. May wants, a message that with anti-austerity themes seemed to resonate with voters in last month’s election.
Labour has yet to explain how this could be achieved, in line with its other objectives, such as controlling immigration. But it senses the opportunity to harass the government, further undermine the prime minister’s diminished authority and possibly force her from power.Labour has yet to explain how this could be achieved, in line with its other objectives, such as controlling immigration. But it senses the opportunity to harass the government, further undermine the prime minister’s diminished authority and possibly force her from power.
One option for the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, could be to ally with those in the Conservative Party who want a “softer” Brexit than Mrs. May — one that prioritizes the economy — exposing the government divisions and possibly defeating it.One option for the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, could be to ally with those in the Conservative Party who want a “softer” Brexit than Mrs. May — one that prioritizes the economy — exposing the government divisions and possibly defeating it.
Mrs. May also has no majority in the House of the Lords, the unelected chamber of the British Parliament, which many analysts expect to cause her trouble, too.Mrs. May also has no majority in the House of the Lords, the unelected chamber of the British Parliament, which many analysts expect to cause her trouble, too.
In a sign of the prime minister’s weakness, the government has given way on two issues recently when threatened with votes in Parliament that it could not be sure to win: providing funds for abortions in England for women in Northern Ireland and setting up an inquiry into a decades-old scandal over contaminated blood in the National Health Service. In a sign of the prime minister’s weakness, the government has given way on two issues recently when threatened with votes in Parliament that it could not be sure to win: providing funds for abortions in England for women from Northern Ireland and setting up an inquiry into a decades-old scandal over contaminated blood in the National Health Service.
The government is delaying any vote on the repeal bill until the autumn, with Mrs. May hoping for some respite over the summer months when lawmakers head for their vacations.The government is delaying any vote on the repeal bill until the autumn, with Mrs. May hoping for some respite over the summer months when lawmakers head for their vacations.
But she faces determined opposition over Britain’s withdrawal from a treaty governing the nuclear industry, with critics arguing that some sort of associate membership needs to be retained, even if this means accepting the remit of the European Court of Justice, which Mrs. May opposes.But she faces determined opposition over Britain’s withdrawal from a treaty governing the nuclear industry, with critics arguing that some sort of associate membership needs to be retained, even if this means accepting the remit of the European Court of Justice, which Mrs. May opposes.
There is also controversy over plans to deploy so-called Henry VIII clauses that gained their name from the Statute of Proclamations in 1539, which gave the king power to legislate by proclamation. The use of the mechanism is intended to speed the legislative process by avoiding full scrutiny of each law and directive by Parliament.There is also controversy over plans to deploy so-called Henry VIII clauses that gained their name from the Statute of Proclamations in 1539, which gave the king power to legislate by proclamation. The use of the mechanism is intended to speed the legislative process by avoiding full scrutiny of each law and directive by Parliament.
Despite the fragility of Mrs. May’s position, there seems little appetite within her party to replace her, partly because that would awaken deep divisions over the type of Brexit that should be pursued. Despite the fragility of Mrs. May’s position, her party seems to have little appetite to replace her, partly because that would awaken deep divisions over the type of Brexit that should be pursued.
However, Mrs. May’s recent efforts to relaunch her premiership, by appealing for dialogue among all parties, seem to have fallen flat among opposition politicians who know she called the snap election with the idea of crushing the Labour Party, which at the start of the campaign trailed badly in opinion polls.However, Mrs. May’s recent efforts to relaunch her premiership, by appealing for dialogue among all parties, seem to have fallen flat among opposition politicians who know she called the snap election with the idea of crushing the Labour Party, which at the start of the campaign trailed badly in opinion polls.
In a statement, Mr. Corbyn said Mrs. May “now heads a zombie government, with no ideas, no answers and no leadership.”In a statement, Mr. Corbyn said Mrs. May “now heads a zombie government, with no ideas, no answers and no leadership.”
“This is a government in name only, having to ask other parties to ‘clarify and improve’ its policies and delaying most Parliamentary business until the autumn,” he added. “This is a government in name only, having to ask other parties to ‘clarify and improve’ its policies and delaying most parliamentary business until the autumn,” he added.
In an indication of the emotions the Brexit debate has raised in some quarters, Rhodri Philipps, the fourth Viscount St. Davids, was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail Thursday for what prosecutors called a “vicious hate campaign” directed at Gina Miller, a lawyer who won a case forcing the government to consult Parliament on the issue. In an indication of the emotions the Brexit debate has raised in some quarters, Rhodri Philipps, the fourth Viscount St. Davids, was sentenced Thursday to 12 weeks in jail for what prosecutors called a “vicious hate campaign” directed at Gina Miller, a lawyer who won a case forcing the government to consult Parliament on the issue.
In a social media rant, the viscount, a resident of London’s Knightsbridge district, offered 5,000 pounds, about $6,500, to anyone who “accidentally” ran over “this troublesome first-generation immigrant” and “boat jumper.” He further advocated sending immigrants back “to their stinking jungles.” In a social media rant, the viscount, a resident of London’s Knightsbridge district, offered 5,000 pounds, about $6,500, to anyone who “accidentally” ran over “this troublesome first-generation immigrant” and “boat jumper.”