I just returned from Istanbul on Sunday evening and I'm happy to share some of the observations I had while I was there-- even beyond the fact that when I first went there in 1969 the only Americans who went there were looking for cheap dugs and that today it's the same thing, except instead of hash they're buying pharmaceuticals that are too expensive back home-- before I forget them all, likely by this evening. Even in Turkey, where many people are still seething about not being accepted into the EU, everyone is talking about BREXIT, even without having John Oliver to make it all somewhat comprehensible. I got the impression that Turks were not unhappy to watch the turmoil-- and fascinated. And on the way home Sunday I flew the once great British Air-- now a flying garbage can-- which had lots of British newspapers obsessed with BREXIT from every possible angle. And that includes which Tory will be able to oust her and move into #9.Britain finds itself with 3 possibilities:
• Accept the universally hated deal Theresa May negotiated with the EU• Just say eff-you to the EU and walk away, probably wrecking Britain's economy• Call a revote which would likely result in the end of BREXIT, unless the Russians intervene again
A revote is being supported by more and more people inside and outside of government but conventional wisdom is that it can't happen. I'm not sure why, but that's conventional wisdom for you. Yesterday May tried to recapture the initiative from mutinous members of Parliament from her own party who are trying to trigger a no confidence vote in her government. She told an annual business conference that "Getting back full control of our borders is an issue of great importance to the British people" and said that EU citizens-- meaning eastern Europeans primarily-- will no longer be able to "jump the queue ahead of engineers from Sydney or software developers from Delhi." Red meat to the pro-BREXIT factions who have already decided she's offering too little.