On the 29th of this month, Britain is expected to leave the European Union. Since the referendum of June 2016, in which 52 per cent of voters made that decision, preparations for what was quickly dubbed Brexit have been marred by serious controversies.

At time of writing, with just weeks to go to the deadline, British Prime Minister Theresa May is struggling to make up her mind what direction to take following her parliament’s rejection of a deal between it and the EU because of the so-called ‘backstop’, an insurance policy that would prevent a hard border by keeping Northern Ireland within the EU Customs Union unless another solution is found.

As the possibility of any new deal continues to fade, the UK seems to be left with just two options: extending Article 50, the notice it gave to the European Council of its intention to withdraw, or crashing out of the EU without a deal.

With a key House of Commons vote on the collapsing Brexit deal delayed from Wednesday 27 February to Tuesday 12 March — only 17 days before the deadline — three of her ministers have mooted the idea that getting an extension on Article 50 was better than the alternative.

As British Chambers of Commerce director general Adam Marshall said on Twitter, it is “unbelievable” that May would give “17 days’ notice for businesses, employees, investors and communities on what may be the biggest economic and trading change they face in a generation.” The British economy continues to be hammered as a result, yet May continues to play politics with the future of the British people.

We are therefore constrained to ask, as many have done before: is Brexit really in the interest of the British people or that of May? And if she is not pursuing a personal agenda, why would she not put it back to the British people to take a final, informed decision?

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