On the other hand, leaving the EU does not mean that Britain is no longer a proud member of the family of European nations, or that we are turning our backs on Europe, or that we want the EU to fail. Quite the contrary. The success of the EU, she said, is a profound U.K. national interest. She even hinted that the U.K.’s absence would make things easier in some ways. She doesn’t want Britain to “stand in the way” of the reform of EU institutions that President Junker had launched last week — as the Brits would undoubtedly have done inside the EU given that the reforms aim to tighten its corset of Brussels regulations.
Which is interesting. May is telling continental Europe that rather than being angry about Brexit, they should be happy that Britain, with different standards of governance than much of the continent, will be out of the European Union.
Britain inside the EU would just be the fly in the ointment, the monkey in the wrench, the pain in the ass, if it remains. The EU should be wise enough to recognize that and refrain from trying to punish Britain for daring to reject the EU's ever closer union.
Getting out should be the prime objective with details negotiable. The details can be amended in future years if the prime objective is achieved. If quibbling over details that aren't decisive interferes with the prime objective, May is making a mistake.
NOTE: In retrospect my Die Hard-inspired title just doesn't work. Sorry ...
