No Script

Please Wait...

Ramadan Kareem...

May Apologizes to Tory MPs after Humiliating Defeat

May Apologizes to Tory MPs after Humiliating Defeat
folder_openUnited Kingdom access_time6 years ago
starAdd to favorites

Local Editor

British Prime Minister Theresa May took the blame for the ruling Conservatives' disastrous performance at last week's elections, as she faced her party's angry MPs on Monday, seeking to ward off any challenge to her leadership.

May Apologizes to Tory MPs after Humiliating Defeat

"I got us into this mess, and I'm going to get us out," May told Conservative MPs during the meeting in Westminster.

May's Conservatives unexpectedly lost their majority in parliament in Thursday's snap general election, causing political chaos ahead of Brexit talks with the European Union set to start next week and prompting calls - from within her own party - for her resignation.

But one MP present at the meeting said there was no discussion of a leadership contest, adding "she's won, she's got to be prime minister".

The chaos has also weighed on the pound, which has plunged almost two percent since Thursday, and the government may have to delay the announcement of its policy plans to parliament.

May vowed to stay on despite the poor results, and on Sunday unveiled a largely unchanged new cabinet, which met for the first time on Monday.

The Conservative Party fell eight seats short of retaining its parliamentary majority, and is now in talks with Northern Ireland's ultra-conservative Democratic Unionist Party [DUP] - which won 10 seats - to forge an informal alliance.

DUP leader Arlene Foster is due to meet May on Tuesday for crunch talks, which could force the delay of the government's presentation of its legislative program to parliament by Queen Elizabeth II, due on June 19.

"Obviously until we have that we can't agree the final details of the Queen's Speech," said May's deputy Damian Green, referring to an agreement with the DUP.

May has a busy schedule on Tuesday, hosting a cabinet meeting and talks with the DUP leader before travelling to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron.

Brexit will likely be on the agenda at the Paris meeting, after May confirmed she will stick to the negotiating timetable.

"Going abroad and being seen to be the prime minister and talking to the president of France... is a classic move to shore up authority at home," said Colin Talbot, professor of government at the University of Manchester.

May tried to reassert her shattered authority at the weekend by announcing her new cabinet - with no changes among her top team.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

Comments