The Irish Times view on Theresa May’s defeat: go back to the British people
The prime minister says her government’s intention is not to run down the clock, but this is precisely what it is doing
A protester stands in front of an EU flag outside the Houses of Parliament in central London on Tuesday. Photograph: Oli Scarff/ AFP/Getty Images
The huge defeat suffered by Theresa May in the House of Commons at least clarifies what had long been thought – that a majority of British MPs oppose the withdrawal agreement. Whether enough MPs might change their mind to allow the deal to pass at a second or third time of asking is extremely doubtful, given the extraordinary scale of the vote against. A hapless government is left struggling to find a way forward, with the clock rapidly running down.
The prime minister vows to fight on, but the vote has severely compromised what little is left of her authority. Her first task is to survive a vote of confidence on Wednesday which has been tabled by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who – like the government – has failed to present a coherent view on Brexit or face up to the essential trade-offs.