Doubts grow about the government’s handling of Brexit negotiations THERESA MAY and several of her cabinet ministers have been on a charm offensive around Europe, trying to sell her Chequers plan for Brexit to doubtful European Union governments. Most recently the prime minister bearded Emmanuel Macron in the French president’s Fort Brégançon holiday retreat in the south of France. Like most EU leaders, Mr Macron is sceptical about the Chequers plan. He is also unwilling to sidestep the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, who has already rejected several of its central elements. At the same time Mrs May has a huge challenge selling Chequers at home, both to MPs and to the public. The most recent opinion survey from ORB, an international pollster, finds that 76% of respondents disapprove of the government’s handling of the Brexit negotations, the highest number so far and a big jump since the Chequers plan was proposed. Fully 60% of respondents expect the prime minister not to get the right Brexit deal, and 44% think Britain will be worse off economically. Little wonder that talk of leaving with no deal has grown. This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline "No confidence"
The UK public is losing confidence in the Government’s ability to handle Brexit, according to a survey by polling organisation ORB International. It said 76% of respondents disapproved of the Government’s handling of the negotiations, the highest level so far and one boosted after UK Prime Minister Theresa May launched her Chequers proposals. Elsewhere in ORB’s report, 60% of respondents said May would not get the right Brexit deal and 44% said the UK would be economically worse off. The news came as ministers toured Europe trying to persuade other EU members to support the Chequers proposal.