OPINION - EDITORIAL

Let them eat cake?

Our cousins across the pond found themselves in a spot of trouble this week after the European Union rejected the latest Brexit proposal. The EU complains that the British seem to want the ability to both have, and eat, its cake.

Britain has been trying to retain single-market access to EU markets, according to The Guardian. But Politico reports it also desires its own freedom to make trade deals with any other countries it wants, something it hadn't been able to do as a member of the EU. It's easy to understand why Theresa May would seek this. It'd be advantageous to Britain's economy post-Brexit.

But the BBC reports that European leaders have rejected the prime minister's suggested framework for economic cooperation because they don't want Britain to undermine its single market. This is a valid fear. If other European countries saw they, like Britain, could leave all the regulations and things they didn't like about the EU behind while still retaining all the economic benefits they enjoy, why would they stay?

In its referendum a couple of years ago, the majority of the British people said they wanted to leave behind EU rules and regulations, saying they could do better on their own. Whether they can remains to be seen, but the clock is ticking. Britain leaves the EU on March 29--six months from now--and Theresa May is working feverishly to see that her country has some kind of advantageous economic negotiation in place before that happens.

Her problem is that Britain has no leverage. The EU has everything Britain wants when it comes to trade possibilities, and Britain has consistently said the one thing the EU wants (for them to stay) is off the table.

Mrs. May might have been trying to borrow a page from President Donald Trump's playbook by getting tough and hoping that will whip opponents into mercy and concessions down the road. But that hasn't worked out so well for her with M. Macron and Germany's Angela Merkel (the most powerful EU economies) frowning and shaking their heads.

After the EU rejected her most recent plan, Prime Minister May appeared to double down on her tough act, saying the EU must treat Britain with more respect in Brexit negotiations. She also said rejecting her plan with no alternative at this "late stage of negotiations" was "not acceptable," the BBC reported.

The problem is the EU doesn't have to give Britain much. Britain broke up with them, remember?

Editorial on 09/22/2018

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