Theresa May (L.I.P. July 13, 2016 - June 7, 2019)

Prime Minister Theresa Maye is out as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. She served almost three years, but was never fully in. Instant history is dangerous, but as of now she is the most incompetent British Prime Minister of both the 21st Century and the 20th Century. Several have been immemorable; some have been great, such as Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, but her record is one of continuous failure. Margaret Thatcher, she was not. She hungered for the job, but exemplified the Peter Principle in action. She could be a bureaucrat or functionary, but she lacked vision and judgment to be a leader. Prime Minister David Cameron called a national plebiscite on Brexit, believing the British voters would vote it down. The vote was 52-48% Brexit - to leave. Cameron also left. He immediately resigned as Prime Minister, to be replaced by Theresa May. The Tories settled on her as their new leader, eventhough she had opposed Brexit. She promised to fulfill the voters’ will, but her head and heart weren’t in it. She doubled down on his misjudgment. She said she would not call a snap election. Of course, she called one on April 27, 2017 for June 7, 2017, leading by 21% in the polls. She expected to augment the narrow Conservative majority in Parliament. The conservatives lost their majority. She lost political power. She had become, although she didn’t realize it, a lame duck. She needed the votes of the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland to remain Prime MInister. She had three options: 1) A hard Brexit – just leave 2) A soft Brexit – negotiate a mutually agreeable Brexit with the EU 3) Remain in the EU October 31, 2019 is now the Brexit exit date, and it appears to be a hard Brexit. She went to Chequers a year ago and emerged with what she thought was a brilliant, clever plan. It would satisfy everyone. It satisfied no one – not the Brexiters, remainders, EU, or the people. The proposal was crafted in private, and defeated in Parliament. She had no leverage in Parliament or with the EU. She kept coming across as a battered down supplicant begging for mercy: tweaking, begging, pleading, meeting with rejection after rejection.. Scores of cabinet members resigned or were canned, but political opposition kept mounting. Admittedly, she was dealt a poor hand, but played it even poorer. The first problem was Ireland. An open border for trade and travel has existed between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland for a couple of decades. Peace has ensued. If the UK with Northern Ireland leaves the EU, then in theory a border wall will have to be erected between the two Irelands and customs imposed. EU leaders know the EU is increasingly becoming unpopular with many members as the bureaucrats in Brussels increasingly intrude on domestic sovereignty. They are worried about other countries wanting out, so they are trying to make it as difficult as possible to leave. They exacted a highly favorable exit agreement with the Prime Minister with €41.8 billion She went to Chequers and emerged with a plan, the plan, her plan, which no one wanted. She had no vision, no creativity. She is clueless about negotiations. She could have obtained leverage with the EU by seeking trade deals outside the EU. President Trump offered her an incredible deal with the United States. She rejected it, turning inward to “create” a proposal designed to accommodate all parties. She could have sought favorable trade agreements with other countries. But No! She knew better. She had a fantastic plan She was in control. She was never in control. Her plan was doomed from the beginning. She kept begging and pleading. The British people voted for Brexit. They are the same as the Yellow Vests in France and the “deplorables” in the United States, the people – not the elites. The British know they achieved greatness independent of the Continent. The Empire may be history, but British grit continues. Her incompetence threatens the survival of the Conservative Party. It could conceivable result in the breakup of the United Kingdom with Scotland and Northern Ireland leaving. Leave in Peace, Theresa May Leave behind the chaos you created.