Thread by @TomMcTague

Inside Theresa May's mind as decision time approaches: Deal or no deal, each risking a split in the Conservative Party, a Corbyn government and the end of her premiership.

What will she do? Delay, delay, delay and... ???

1/
politico.eu/article/inside…

Option one: Deal with Labour, country before party.

“No deal means the rapid break up of the UK,” one senior govt official told POLITICO. “Sturgeon will organize a unilateral independence referendum and there will be calls for a border poll in N Ireland."

Tories split

2/

Option two: Hunker down for no-deal, party first (because Corbyn is worse).

“For most of us, the Conservative Party is a means to an end,” said one Cab minister. “Theresa is different. For [her] it is something closer to love, to family."

Tories still split. Economic crisis

3/

Conclusion: DELAY, DELAY, DELAY

“She would do literally everything she could to stop that [choice] happening,” said one friend. “Ultimately, though, it’s not in her gift to choose party over country. Parliament will move for her if she doesn’t."

4/

RISK:

"She will delay and delay — she may not make that choice and go for no deal. I don’t think even she knows."

😳😳😳

ENDS/