, Columnist
For the Pound's Sake, Don't Write May a Blank Check
Brexit will shave 7.5 percent from U.K. GDP over the coming years, and a no-deal Brexit would be even more destructive.
Heading back to the polls.
Photographer: Matt CardyThis article is for subscribers only.
By calling a general election on June 8, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May is asking Britain for a stronger mandate to steer the country through Brexit negotiations. With a larger majority, she says, her government would be able to secure a better deal, improving the economy. The policy trajectory set so far suggests otherwise.
The vote to have Britain exit the European Union highlighted deepening rifts across the country -- between the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the North and the South. May's proposals, which focus on lower taxes funded by cuts to education, health care and security, are likely to make Britain an even more divided kingdom.