After the election, the Prime Minister expressed her determination to set up a new government that can reliably handle the upcoming Brexit negotiations. She intends to form a coalition government with the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland, which won10 seats in the election. She is reforming the cabinet to involve key members in handling major tasks, including conducting the Brexit negotiations as scheduled.

A divided UK

After the election results were announced, many MPs of the Labor Party urged Ms May to resign and said they are ready to set up a new government based on their 262 seats. In the meantime, a vote of confidence will be conducted within the Conservative Party to decide whether May should continue in her role.

A number of senior members of the Conservative Party have expressed support for Prime Minister May, saying the UK should not go looking for a new leader with the Brexit negotiations so close. Other leaders have kept silent. The Washington Post has reported that the Conservative Party is conducting closed-door discussions on whether Ms May should resign and, if so, when. If May leaves 10 Downing Street, it will be the second departure of a Prime Minister in a year.

Challenges facing Brexit negotiations

Prime Minister May’s failure in the June 8 election has made Brexit negotiations more difficult. The negotiations, scheduled to begin next Monday, are likely to be delayed until Britain can form a new government. Without a majority it will be hard for May or her successor to get approval from both houses of Parliament for a “hard Brexit”, in which the UK would give up access to the single market and customs union, be removed from the EU Court’s jurisdiction ,lose free movement within the EU, and no longer have to pay into the EU budget. At that point, the UK and the EU would work out new trade details from scratch like any two countries under WTO regulations. If Parliament says no to a “hard Brexit”, implementation of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty will be put on hold and Brexit terms will be decided by the 27 EU members.

The early election and unexpected developments in the UK have pushed the country into chaos. The Brexit negotiation is likely to be delayed indefinitely until March 2019.