British PM May calls for early election on June 8

[Jonathan Fairfield]

British PM May calls for early election to strengthen Brexit hand

 

By Elizabeth Piper and Kylie MacLellan

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May called on Tuesday for an early election on June 8, saying she needed to strengthen her hand in divorce talks with the European Union by shoring up support for her Brexit plan.

 

Standing outside her Downing Street office, May said she had been reluctant about asking parliament to back her move to bring forward the election from 2020, but decided it was necessary to win support for her ruling Conservative Party's efforts to press ahead with Britain's departure from the EU.

 

Some were surprised by her move - she has repeatedly said she does not want to be distracted by time-consuming campaigning - but opinion polls give her a strong lead, the economy is weathering the Brexit vote and she has faced opposition from her own party for some of her domestic reforms.

 

The pound rose to a two-and-a-half-month high against the U.S. dollar after the announcement, but Britain's main share index fell to its lowest point in more than seven weeks.

 

"It was with reluctance that I decided the country needs this election, but it is with strong conviction that I say it is necessary to secure the strong and stable leadership the country needs to see us through Brexit and beyond," May said.

"Every vote for the Conservatives will make it harder for opposition politicians who want to stop me from getting the job done."

 

Britain joins a list of western European countries scheduled to hold elections this year. Votes in France in April and May and in Germany in September have the potential to reshape the political landscape around the two years of Brexit talks with the EU expected to start sometime in June.

 

May is capitalising on her runaway lead in the opinion polls. The Conservative Party is around 20 points ahead of the main opposition Labour Party, a large lead for an incumbent party two years after the last parliamentary election.

The prime minister's own personal ratings also dwarf those of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, with 50 percent of those asked saying she would make the best prime minister. Corbyn wins only 14 percent, according to pollster YouGov.

 

CHALLENGE

 

Before holding the election, May must first win the support of two-thirds of the parliament in a vote on Wednesday. Labour said it will vote in favour of a new election, meaning she should be able to get it through.

 

"I welcome the prime minister's decision to give the British people the chance to vote for a government that will put the interests of the majority first," Corbyn said in an emailed statement.

 

Other members of his party were less enthusiastic and other parties criticised her decision. Nicola Sturgeon, first minister of the Scottish government, described it as "huge political miscalculation" that could help her efforts to hold a new independence referendum.

 

May, a former interior minister, was appointed prime minister after Britain's vote to leave the European Union in June 2016 forced the resignation of her predecessor David Cameron. A new election will be a vote on her performance so far.

Her spokesman said she had the backing of her top team of ministers and had informed Queen Elizabeth of her plans.

 

If the opinion polls are right, she will win a new mandate for a series of reforms she wants to introduce in Britain and also a vote of confidence in a vision for Brexit which sees the country outside the EU's single market.

 

"The decision facing the country will be all about leadership," May said.

 

"It will be a choice between strong and stable leadership in the national interest with me as your prime minister, or weak and unstable coalition government, led by Jeremy Corbyn, propped up by the Liberal Democrats who want to reopen the division of the referendum."

 

(Additional reporting by William James, Kate Holton and Andy Bruce, writing by Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-04-18

 

[Somtamnication]

PROUD OF YA! That will shut up the nay sayers. Love this woman!!! 

[Grouse]

9 minutes ago, Somtamnication said:

PROUD OF YA! That will shut up the nay sayers. Love this woman!!! 

You think calling a general election will shut up the nay sayers? R U 'avin a laf guv?

 

(iphone autocorrect keeps trying to replace nay with May!)

[Grouse]

Wouldn't it be great to separate the general election thread from the Brexit thread and theScottish independence thread? ?

[colinneil]

Go Theresa go, hopefully it will shut up the pillocks who keep moaning on about getting a second referendum.

[darksidedog]

I wonder how badly wrong the pollsters will get this one? Their track record of late isn't too clever.

[simoh1490]

The Pound jumped on this news, it's a short term gain, nothing has really changed in terms of economics.

[Grouse]

The Russians will be supporting the Con Party! ?

 

Destabilising Europe and an offshore laundry centre and Belgravia! What's not to support!

[Grouse]

3 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

The Pound jumped on this news, it's a short term gain, nothing has really changed in terms of economics.

Improved chance of remaining close to EU even with increase in uncertainty

[simoh1490]

1 minute ago, Grouse said:

Improved chance of remaining close to EU even with increase in uncertainty

Chance and hope are not influential factors in economics.

[phutoie2]

Wrexiteers v Remoaners and wee Krankie in the wings. Bring it all on.

[Basil B]

Well Sturgeon and Corbyn have been calling for a General Election... 

[NanLaew]

52 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Go Theresa go, hopefully it will shut up the pillocks who keep moaning on about getting a second referendum.

Yes! Go!

 

...and take that appalling chap Boris with you.

[citybiker]

This is very astute timing by May.

Shes sending a very clear message, put up or shut up as the political game playing is hindering the Brexit process.

Interesting times lay ahead.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mosha]

Hopefully Blair will stick his oar in.

Sent from my iris 505 using Tapatalk

[colinneil]

29 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Yes! Go!

 

...and take that appalling chap Boris with you.

 

I take it you are not a tory supporter.

[brewsterbudgen]

I wonder how badly wrong the pollsters will get this one? Their track record of late isn't too clever.

There is always hope. The polls got Brexit, Trump and the last UK election wrong. Maybe there will be an even bigger shock on 8 June.

[Laughing Gravy]

2 hours ago, Grouse said:

You think calling a general election will shut up the nay sayers? R U 'avin a laf guv?

 

(iphone autocorrect keeps trying to replace nay with May!)

Well I hope it will shut up the whinging, unpatriotic europhiles that do not support the majority of the UK. It would seem you never did national service or served your country. What a shame. Even if the people do not vote for May at least she is a patriot, sadly lacking by many People and TV posters here. I am embarrassed for you.

[Slip]

Brexit referundum2?  Quite clever of her.

[darksidedog]

This is actually pretty smart by May, as she kind of wins either way. If she is voted back in she is in charge for a further 5 years,

If she loses, she doesn't have to deal with unthankful task of the Brexit negotiation drama.

[citybiker]

Brexit referundum2?  Quite clever of her.

Brexit is unaffected.

Source: European Council amongst one.

As a side note, the other parties have been caught on the hop & the 4th May local elections will be a good indicator.

Fair play to TM on this, her speech was strong, determined & gave clear clarity to the pathetic politicians wishing to consistently obstruct progress.

If I hear Tim Farron mention 'Hard Brexit' again I hope the LD's get equally crushed as Labour do, and JC will have a reasonable excuse to resign.

As for Sturgeon?


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[CharlieK]

2 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

The Pound jumped on this news, it's a short term gain, nothing has really changed in terms of economics.

The Pounds decline has nothing to do with economics its all political. Brexit, get it?

[CharlieK]

2 hours ago, Grouse said:

Improved chance of remaining close to EU even with increase in uncertainty

You might get your wish! Is this a re-run of the referendum, will Brexit even happen. One thing is for sure this will upset sturgeon, If May wins it could be the end of Indyref2? As she said, they can put up or shut up and get behind Brexit. Maybe not in such words but more or less the sentiment she got across.  

[simoh1490]

1 minute ago, CharlieK said:

The Pounds decline has nothing to do with economics its all political. Brexit, get it?

I do but you don't, not if you think the decline of the Pound has nothing to do with economics.

 

 

[CharlieK]

4 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

I do but you don't, not if you think the decline of the Pound has nothing to do with economics.

 

 

Only in so far as what might happen after Brexit. But Brexit was the cause of the decline not the current state of the economy. Just to add, It is accepted that the Pound is undervalued, if you follow FX.

 

[Slip]

20 minutes ago, citybiker said:

 

Brexit is unaffected.

Source: European Council amongst one.

As a side note, the other parties have been caught on the hop & the 4th May local elections will be a good indicator.

Fair play to TM on this, her speech was strong, determined & gave clear clarity to the pathetic politicians wishing to consistently obstruct progress.

If I hear Tim Farron mention 'Hard Brexit' again I hope the LD's get equally crushed as Labour do, and JC will have a reasonable excuse to resign.

As for Sturgeon?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I can't agree with your comment that brexit is unaffected.  If what the remainers say is true then the Tories will lose, after which all bets are off.  (Not that most remain voters will be willing to vote Corybn in). That is why it's a clever gambit by May.  

 

EDIT: Assuming that any party runs on a remain ticket and then wins of course, as unlikely as that may actually be.

[citybiker]

I can't agree with your comment that brexit is unaffected.  If what the remainers say is true then the Tories will lose, after which all bets are off.  (Not that most remain voters will be willing to vote Corybn in). That is why it's a clever gambit by May.  

It's taken nearly 9 months for the anti-Brexit mob (HoP etc) to finally accept the democratic result, not even JC is stupid enough to risk annoying the electorate.

What's more irritating is the standard of politicians who are hell bent in obstructing progress & jumping on the media bandwagon with the Hard Brexit theme.

IIRC only anti-Brexit & lefty media sources continue to spout the HB tripe.


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[Slip]

5 minutes ago, citybiker said:

It's taken nearly 9 months for the anti-Brexit mob (HoP etc) to finally accept the democratic result, not even JC is stupid enough to risk annoying the electorate.

What's more irritating is the standard of politicians who are hell bent in obstructing progress & jumping on the media bandwagon with the Hard Brexit theme.

IIRC only anti-Brexit & lefty media sources continue to spout the HB tripe.


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Of course you are right, unless you subscribe to the idea that most of the country are still anti.  If that are correct then all hell could break loose, but this is why she has been clever- I know a number of Tory voters who are anti Brexit, but there is no way ever they would vote labour.

[Roadman]

3 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

PROUD OF YA! That will shut up the nay sayers. Love this woman!!! 

Cometh the hour, cometh the woman...man. But she is showing she is head and shoulders the best world leader by a country mile and just the person for Brexit. Britain is fortunate she was sitting in waiting. 

[vogie]

6 minutes ago, Roadman said:

Cometh the hour, cometh the woman...man. But she is showing she is head and shoulders the best world leader by a country mile and just the person for Brexit. Britain is fortunate she was sitting in waiting. 

I just hope she gets the backing she truly deserves, but I doubt it.