Changing its leader won’t change the UK’s Brexit chaos
What will the Conservative Party get in return for dumping yet another leader over Europe? Catharsis, perhaps
This time it’s for real. Theresa May didn’t exactly say when she would leave 10 Downing Street, but on Thursday she promised to name her exit date in early June. The question is what difference changing leader will make for the Conservative party. After a potentially messy leadership contest (one is already underway), the party will likely rally behind a new chief — only to find that the old problems are still with it. When you consider May’s ability to defy political gravity, it’s tempting to wonder if she means it. She has survived an election disaster; a no-confidence vote by her MPs; historic parliamentary defeats; a long list of resignations; open revolt from cabinet ministers; and an attempt to change the party rules just so she could be pushed out a few months early. She previously promised to leave before the next election and then after her Brexit deal won approval from parliament; now she will step down regardless. It was always possible she would wriggle out of her earlie...
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