British Prime Minister Theresa May has survived the confidence vote in her own party and remains party leader and prime minister. The prime minister needed a majority of 159 (out of 317) Conservative MPs to remain in office and received support from 200 MPs. That reports Business Insider.
The fear that her vote would lead to further political chaos was too great and she herself had promised before the vote that she would not run again in the next election. Her term ends in 2022, so she will be prime minister by then. She says she will step down when Brexit is complete. According to many analysts, her position (by announcing her retirement) has weakened. Not to mention the fact that over 33% of her own party has no confidence in her.
May is under fire in her party over the deal she has signed with the European Union (EU). A group of Conservatives wanted to vote May out and exchange it for another; for example Dominic Raab (former Brexit Secretary), Boris Johnson (former Foreign Secretary), Michael Gove (Environment Secretary), Amber Rudd (former Home Secretary) or Jeremy Hunt (current Minister of Foreign Affairs).
All 317 Conservative MPs have voted on May's position. No confidence vote on her position in the Conservative Party can now be held for 1 year. However, Parliament can vote for her and with 117 Conservatives against her, Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn is likely to table a no-confidence vote against her and it is highly doubtful she can survive it.
No solution for Irish border yet
Surviving the confidence vote is certainly a boost for May, but her party remains divided, leaving no solution in sight for Brexit. And without the support of her party, she can never get her deal through parliament. The solution to the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland remains the biggest stumbling block. When she saw coming that she would suffer defeat, suggested May the scheduled vote on the deal.
In addition to the resistance in her own party, there are also coalition partners DUP and the opposition to the agreement she has concluded. However, the EU has repeatedly stated that there will be no renegotiation. Still, May is trying to gain support for adjustments. That is why on Tuesday 11 December she visited Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague, Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin and EU leaders Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels.
'Time to connect'
In an initial response after surviving the vote, May said he was grateful that so many Conservative MPs support her and that it is time to end divisions and reunite the country. She promised to go full steam ahead with the smooth running of Brexit.
May took office as Prime Minister on July 13, 2016, after David Cameron resigned in part by referendum. Then she got 1 vote less than now. Arranging Brexit is by far her biggest job. However, even now that she retains the confidence of a majority of her own party, it is far from certain that she will be able to finish her job.
If parliament continues to block its deal and the EU continues to refuse to renegotiate, then it will be heading for a hard Brexit and the question is whether it has already been expelled or resigned.
Read more on Business Insider:
- UK government backs May's Brexit deal, but not wholeheartedly
- Why the border with Northern Ireland is such a problem
- Interest rates are rising rapidly worldwide, but these opportunities are there
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