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Theresa May: Ignore interference and decide EU fate

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Theresa May, a keen Swiss tourist as seen above, has big EU decisions to make (Image: Daily Mirror)

I have just come back from a long weekend away in Switzerland - Geneva to be exact. And what a beautiful city it is too. It is rich in architecture, scenery, chocolate and history. However, what attracted to me most about the city was its simplicity.

Simplicity is a theme across many European cities. I can say exactly the same for any city I've visited in Scandinavia and Western Europe. Cities like Geneva do not need to try hard to attract tourists. You can easily argue Geneva is in a privileged position, as it houses the United Nations headquarters the natural home for the global community. This may be an easy publicity win for the city's tourism board, yet the real reason why tourists visit there is because of a fountain.

I left Switzerland with a topical question in my mind: why can't we - the UK - be more like them? The UK is notorious for being the opposite of doing things simple. Britain needs the best innovations, greatest competitors and biggest buildings, and would do anything to invest in how the country looks from the outside. I don't get that feeling in Switzerland, and, as a result, it is consistently ahead of the UK in the list of 'happiest countries in the world'. However, as Switzerland isn't a member of the European Union, and as of ten months from now, neither will the United Kingdom, the government of the latter is considering what type of relationship they would like with Brussels. One like the 'Swiss model' has been considered.

There is a problem, though. It hasn't sunk in the British government's mind the reality that its EU membership will be ripped up on the 29th March 2019, when the two-year Article 50 trigger clause ends. Right now, they're in limbo and completely at loss over the direction they want the UK to head to, as the country's key influencers are divided and stuck in the past. Those who campaigned to 'Leave' are stuck on 24th June 2016, the day after that infamous EU referendum, and those who campaigned to 'Remain' are stuck on 22nd June 2016. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Theresa May, inside, wishes she wasn't dealing with this 'leaving' madness at all.

The issue here is that May and her government are struggling to agree on what type of 'exit' Britain should opt for. The options they face now is either: UK leaves the EU and thus, no longer be part of the Single Market or Customs Union; leave the EU and be part of either Market or Union mentioned, or just reverse the 'exit' process altogether. Making a concrete decision shouldn't be too complicated. Yet, with loud noises coming from Labour and Liberal Democrats, rebellious 'Remain' and 'Leave' Conservative backbenchers and the House of Lords, you can sense Theresa May is simply covering her ears and closing her eyes, hoping that things sort itself out. It's clear to me she has no idea what she wants.

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Jacob Rees-Mogg (Image: HuffPost UK)
One of the primary reasons as to why Theresa May isn't making a decision is due to her fear of upsetting her closest colleagues. Most recently, the prime minister has said she wants the UK to be part of a Customs Partnership, instead of a Customs Union. However, whatever she says, her words are easily criticised by those who fear this would appear as if Britain isn't leaving the European Union at all. The likes of Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg, ardent 'Leavers' with relative popularity on their side, are allergic to the word 'custom', and therefore believe UK should back out of any potential deal with the EU if that word is uttered in a way to form a unilateral partnership with Brussels.

I have some sympathy for May here. Her 'Customs Partnership' sits in the middle of what passionate 'Remain' Conservative MPs want and 'Leave' Conservative MPs. However, both sides are showing no signs of compromise, and May is left in a pickle. She shouldn't be. With ten months to go, and the Single Market agreement yet to be agreed, the only option for May is to be bold.

In order to be bold, May needs to be fearless and decisive. She'll be doomed either way. At least, by her actually making a decision, and keeping to it, the UK will go to the negotiating table with something she will be comfortable with. Can you imagine her with EU officials saying, "The British government is offering to be out of the Customs Union agreement with no alternative. I don't believe it's the right thing to do, but this was out of my hands." For her to go ahead with trade or immigration policies she's uncomfortable with, would put the UK in an uncompromising and weakened position.

Making decisions people are going to disagree with is the nature of being a prime minister. Those who are against the government's plan must realise we have no choice but to support May's decisions, as she is the leader of Great Britain. In doing so, we must stop fixating over a result that's happened two years ago. The importance of us being in the present day cannot be emphasised enough, even if many of us don't want to leave the EU. The government made its decision to trigger Article 50, we have to move on with that, as much as it pains so many people to hear that, including myself. Without so, we'll end up at the negotiating table with a powerless prime minister, which would be an absolute disaster for the UK and EU.
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View of Geneva, Switzerland (Image: ciscos.org)

This takes me back to Switzerland. The country is in the Single Market, but not in the Customs Union. Largely, the Swiss public like their relationship with the EU and are perfectly satisfied being out of it - only 15% want Switzerland to join the European Union.

Potentially opting to a 'Swiss model Brexit' has received mixed views. According to Franz de Planta, "Swiss life, culture, trade and living standards are not diminished one iota by our treaties with the EU." He continues by stating Zurich and Geneva - like London - are "great financial centres". While Switzerland is "in Schengen (a 26 member European state organisation which abolish passport and other border controls at their mutual borders) [...] it controls its borders and remains a sovereign state" - yet, the 'sovereign' term is much debated today.

That said, ultimately, adopting the Swiss model does result in the free movement of people, something many who voted 'Leave' two years ago voted so passionately against. And the 'Remain' voters don't want a deal without a Customs Union membership. So the thought of going for this model for them seems borderline unthinkable, no pun intended.

It is true to say that Theresa May must compromise. She won't get absolutely everything she wants in order for her version of the EU-exit to work. No approach of this kind will be right, or wrong. This should be seen as a blank canvas for her. Does she go for the "free movement" or "free, borderless trade with the EU"? Having been to Switzerland, delighted to have visited there without requiring a three-day visa and knowing everything is home-grown (I didn't even see a single bottle or can of Pepsi because the country doesn't produce any of their drinks), my suggestion is for a membership of the Single Market of some kind, and to be part of a Customs Partnership. I feel it is important to embrace EU-imports, even if they are checked in some way.

But the final decision has to come from Theresa May herself. By her dithering, she is giving us the impression that she either doesn't want to take responsibility of the potential consequences any EU deal could mean for the UK, or that she is more of a 'Remainer' many are led to believe. We all know that if both Single Market and Customs Union membership agreements aren't met, the Conservative government is in huge trouble and nobody knows that more than the prime minister herself. So come on, Mrs May, time is ticking fast. If you want MPs on your side before they make the final call in 2019, have something on the table you're convinced is good for the country, and others will soon follow.

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