A flowchart of possible outcomes from Britain’s Brexit deadlock took the internet by storm on Thursday morning.
Thousands of people across the UK have scratched their heads over the possible permutations as the nation’s future hangs in the balance, on the cusp of a key vote in Parliament over how the country leaves the European Union.
But Prime Minister Theresa May is widely expected to lose the vote next Tuesday over the deal she negotiated with the EU.
So Times journalist Henry Zeffman has created a vast flowchart of possibilities should MPs vote down Mrs May’s deal, a “choose your own adventure” guide to the next few months of Brexit Britain.
In a tweet accompanying a picture of the flowchart he wrote: “So what might happen next? It’s complicated…”
So what might happen next? It’s complicated… pic.twitter.com/4oCLCjSouK
— Henry Zeffman (@hzeffman) December 6, 2018
Of the 35 permutations and possible outcomes in which Mrs May doesn’t resign after losing the vote, the most common, according to Zeffman, is that she either resigns later or loses a no confidence vote. Either case would trigger a leadership election.
But just how complicated is it?
Zeffman identified six potential situations with nine possible outcomes, a complex assessment of timelines which started life on the back of an envelope, he said.
This was v1 of many – on the back of a (large) envelope. Thanks to @timshearring for making it a fair bit prettier pic.twitter.com/EjNDUHdvlZ
— Henry Zeffman (@hzeffman) December 6, 2018
Twitter users have not held back in passing judgment on the herculean piece of political journalism.
Has Zeffman lost his mind down the rabbit hole of possibilities?
— David Wyllie (@journodave) December 6, 2018
Can the flowchart be played like a board game?
Just playing a quick game of Brexit/Risk/Haven’t Got A Cluedo/Kerplunk Goes May. @hzeffman @thetimes pic.twitter.com/JmysB4sJhl
— Jane Merrick (@janemerrick23) December 6, 2018
Does anyone really know what will happen?
TLDR. In short: NOBODY FECKIN KNOWS. https://t.co/EePNuirq6z
— Kilian Doyle (@kiliandoyle) December 6, 2018
Thankfully, Britons won’t have to live all 46 timelines from Zeffman’s Brexit crystal ball.
But which becomes reality is almost impossible to predict.