The 2017 General Election has destroyed Theresa May's premiership, at least in the short-term. Many Conservatives have referred to her as a dead woman walking. There have been talks of another leadership election and a soft Brexit. The response to CCHQ's inadequate general election campaign on social media has been horrendous. The result has been a supply-in-confidence arrangement with a Northern Irish party that has been misconstrued as 'terrorist sympathisers', further damaging the Tories' image in many voters' eyes. If Mr. Juncker urged the Prime Minister to call a snap poll, he knew what he was doing.
It is safe to say he has stitched her up.
'You cannot have your cake and eat it'
Many European politicians have warned Britain 'you cannot have your cake and eat it.' This means the UK remains in the EU and accepts all of its rules as a Single Market member, or it leaves entirely. Whether this is just European posturing remains to be seen, but there is no doubt many politicians have viewed the results of this general election as a rejection by the British electorate of a 'hard' Brexit. With rumours abounding the DUP want a softer EU exit, the superbloc may offer Britain nothing more than membership of the European Economic Area (EEA).
This would result in Britain withdrawing from the EU, but retaining membership of an organisation where its members accept many Single Market rules.
It would also mean the UK being accountable to the EFTA Court, which is their equivalent to the European Court of Justice Vote Leave vigorously campaigned against last year. Despite Lichtenstein being allowed to legislate for a points-based immigration system, all other EEA countries accept the free movement of workers. In fact, Norway signed up to the Schengen Agreement and accepts the free movement of people too.
If Mr. Juncker did truly stitch up Mrs May, he has done a fantastic job in destroying Brexit. A soft Brexit will not result in Britain leaving the superbloc, and this is exactly what the EU Commission President desires.
