EU's new lifeline may not be enough to save May

On Thursday, the European Union gave British Prime Minister Theresa May until Oct 31, four months more than what she had sought, to resolve the domestic deadlock over Brexit.

The lengthy and lingering Brexit process shows that the May government cannot handle the pressure from the British parliament and EU leaders. To begin with, the May government didn't consider the opposition's suggestions on Brexit seriously, and couldn't sort out matters within the ruling coalition and counter the EU's tough demands.

Hard-liners within the Conservative Party-Democratic Unionist Party coalition government refuse to accept the "backstop" arrangements for Northern Ireland (that is, not having a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland under any circumstances) in the Brexit negotiations with the EU. For example, Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of the hard-line Brexiters, said he couldn't accept the deal, and the DUP openly claimed May had compromised British interests on the issue.