Political turmoil in the UK to prolong exit negotiations with Europe

European leaders appear to want to move forward with Brexit plans as quickly as possible, but political turmoil within Britain suggests a quick turnaround is unlikely. UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn lost a no-confidence vote by 172 votes to 40. The political implosion has rendered both the country’s main parties effectively leaderless at a time when the UK is under pressure to make fundamental decisions.

On the Conservative side, a Yougov poll saw Theresa May (19 percent) edge ahead of Boris Johnson (18 percent) as favoured candidate for the next Prime Minister. Such developments suggest a general election might be required to sort things out, prolonging exit negotiations with Europe.

At the emergency EU meeting in Brussels, frustration with Britain’s stance is evident. The Belgian Prime Minister said, “The EU can’t afford being held hostage by the UK political crisis for months.”