British PM May resigns, paving way for Brexit confrontation with EU

[Jonathan Fairfield]

British PM May resigns, paving way for Brexit confrontation with EU

By Elizabeth Piper, Kylie MacLellan and William James

 

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves Downing Street in London, Britain, January 15, 2019. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/Files

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday said she would quit, triggering a contest that will bring a new leader to power who is likely to push for a more decisive Brexit divorce deal.

 

May set out a timetable for her departure: She will resign as Conservative Party leader on June 7 with a leadership contest in the following week.

 

"I will resign as leader of the Conservative and Unionist party on Friday, 7 June so that a successor can be chosen," May said outside 10 Downing Street.

 

May, once a reluctant supporter of EU membership, who won the top job in the turmoil that followed the 2016 Brexit vote, steps down with her central pledges - to lead the United Kingdom out of the bloc and heal its divisions - unfulfilled.

 

She endured crises and humiliation in her effort to find a compromise Brexit deal that parliament could ratify, and bequeaths a deeply divided country and a political elite that is deadlocked over how, when or whether to leave the EU.

 

May's departure will deepen the Brexit crisis as a new leader is likely to want a more decisive split, raising the chances of a confrontation with the European Union and a snap parliamentary election.

 

The leading contenders to succeed May all want a tougher divorce deal, although the EU has said it will not renegotiate the Withdrawal Treaty it sealed in November.

 

(Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Additional reporting by Kate Holton; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-24

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[darksidedog]

Well that was inevitable. Will be interesting to see who is next to land in the hot seat and what difference they make, to the Brexit divorce process. Given the depth of the internal disagreement within parties, the position could be considered akin to a poisoned chalice.

[Basil B]

2 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Given the depth of the internal disagreement within parties,

Given the depth of the internal disagreement within the Country...

[Momofarang]

Don't think she will remembered, since her successor (BJ) will make history by starting a war against Europe.

[malagateddy]

A hard line Brexiteer will <deleted> nicely thank you

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[Brigand]

If whoever lands in the hot seat is smart then the should just go Canada +++ swiftly as that is the best compromise deal that might get enough support to get through. Took the Canadians 7 years to get it and they are no novices at doing trade deals, so if good enough for them then it should be a satisfactory starting point. Can always tinker with it later. This total cluster-<deleted> needs to end asap as it's become far too toxic.

[Orton Rd]

In Boris Johnson's book the dream of Rome written a few years back he waxes lyrical about what a great institution the EU is and compares it to the Roman Empire. At the end he even writes about how Turkey should be allowed to join the EU club, even though only a small percentage of it is in Europe and it would open the door to more of his forbears - unstoppable Muslims immigrants. He now claims he's changed his mind, I for one don't believe he is any more serious about Brexit than the disaster PM who thank god only has two weeks left, she failed and he will probably fail as well, intentionally.

[Pilotman]

34 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

In Boris Johnson's book the dream of Rome written a few years back he waxes lyrical about what a great institution the EU is and compares it to the Roman Empire. At the end he even writes about how Turkey should be allowed to join the EU club, even though only a small percentage of it is in Europe and it would open the door to more of his forbears - unstoppable Muslims immigrants. He now claims he's changed his mind, I for one don't believe he is any more serious about Brexit than the disaster PM who thank god only has two weeks left, she failed and he will probably fail as well, intentionally.

you can't  blame Boris, he is just being a normal hypocritical, self absorbed, arrogant, self serving, no real principles, politician, just like they all are . 

[fishtank]

Boris Johnson? Do we really need a serial liar as PM?

[billd766]

6 minutes ago, fishtank said:

Boris Johnson? Do we really need a serial liar as PM?

How do you know that he will be the new PM?

 

The old one has not left yet and there may well be more than one contender.

[trainman34014]

33 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

you can't  blame Boris, he is just being a normal hypocritical, self absorbed, arrogant, self serving, no real principles, politician, just like they all are . 

Never a truer word spoken !

[malagateddy]

8

Boris Johnson? Do we really need a serial liar as PM?

But they all are globally!!

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[sammieuk1]

She will have to say June the 7th a billion times before anyone believes her???? 

[malagateddy]

How do you know that he will be the new PM?
 
The old one has not left yet and there may well be more than one contender.

Meant to be a few " lurkers " hanging around!!

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[AGareth2]

who is the October horse?

[malagateddy]

who is the October horse?

Red Rum??[emoji2][emoji2][emoji2]

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[elliss]

29 minutes ago, billd766 said:

How do you know that he will be the new PM?

 

The old one has not left yet and there may well be more than one contender.

 

  David  Cameron should return ,  and lead the enlightened UK electorate .

      

 

[sammieuk1]

18 minutes ago, billd766 said:

How do you know that he will be the new PM?

 

The old one has not left yet and there may well be more than one contender.

Well he did once pen a poem about Turkey president Erdogan entitled the Wankera from Ankara then made him foreign secretary

so just lie a lot and the PM's job is in the bag???? 

[JHolmesJr]

Hopefully a swift, no deal Brexit will ensue.

 

[billd766]

35 minutes ago, AGareth2 said:

who is the October horse?

I had to look that up as I have never heard the term before.

 

Thank you for adding to my store of information.

 

Google can be your friend.

 

I would have used the term sacrificial goat which probably applies to Boris.

[rwdrwdrwd]

Brilliant, if you can make it to the end she bursts into tears. It's a shame she's given up dancing though.

[JimmyTheMook]

 

[sammieuk1]

57 minutes ago, AGareth2 said:

who is the October horse?

The winner of the 2.45 at Kempton????

[Briggsy]

Lord! About time. Why not today? Why June 7th? Resign Now! Go, in God's name, go now!

[xylophone]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Given the depth of the internal disagreement within parties, the position could be considered akin to a poisoned chalice.

Exactly right and she tried to find a way through but was stymied at every turn...........and as for that plonker Corbyn, well a disgusting creature IMO.

[Thakkar]

1 hour ago, fishtank said:

Boris Johnson? Do we really need a serial liar as PM?

 

Nicholas Whyte ???????? (‪@nwbrux‬)

24/5/19, 16:42

Glorious new bit of Flemish vocabulary for me from ‪@destandaard‬ profile of Boris Johnson today: “tafelspringer”, which combines the concepts of trouble-maker, show-off and smart-alec, as in someone who jumps onto a table to tell everyone how clever they are.

 pic.twitter.com/idnSrXMdUR

 

[Mike Teavee]

2 hours ago, Momofarang said:

Don't think she will remembered, since her successor (BJ) will make history by starting a war against Europe.

She will be remembered, whether in a good light or not depends on who follows.

 

In her defense she was given an impossible task (Maybe John Wick could have pulled it off) but the prosecution would say she was an appalling Home Secretary & should never have been PM.

 

I agree with the latter... But nobody else would stand up at the time & (IMHO) were waiting until things couldn't get much worse before playing their hand... 

 

 

 

 

[sammieuk1]

 

10 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

Lord! About time. Why not today? Why June 7th? Resign Now! Go, in God's name, go now!

Its because she wants to get orange Don's autograph on his impending state visit for her memoirs/condolences ???? 

[Thakkar]

Bloomberg Brexit (‪@Brexit‬)

24/5/19, 19:35

Here's a summary of where we are now after Theresa May's statement: – We still don't know what Brexit means – Britain now has a caretaker prime minister – The drama is just starting bloom.bg/2HOSq7i

[geoffbezoz]

Well unfortunately  she won't be remembered for  good leadership who as PM withdrew article 50.  That praise will go to somebody else, whoever that may be, after the inevitable general election and second referendum.