Theresa May speaks for the first time since scraping through a no confidence vote in her leadership
Prime minister Theresa May survived a no confidence vote in her leadership of the Conservative party by her own MPs on Wednesday night.
200 votes for her to 117 against, a majority of 83, the PM’s authority has weakened even further. The latest in a seemingly never string of blows to her premiership since the 2017 snap election.
May said she had listened to her colleagues demanding her resignation but must now “get on with the job of delivering Brexit for the British people.”
BREAKING: Theresa May’s NOT FUCKING LEAVING pic.twitter.com/b0hJq1RtTT
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) December 12, 2018
Theresa May said: “This has been a long and challenging day but at the end of it I am pleased to have received the backing of my colleagues in tonight’s ballot.
“A significant number of colleagues did cast a vote against me and I have listened to what they said.
“Following this ballot we now need to get on with the job of delivering Brexit for the British people.
“A Brexit that delivers on the vote that people gave. That brings the country back together, rather than entrenching division.
“That must start here in Westminster, with politicians of all sides coming together and acting in the national interest.
“While delivering Brexit is important, we also need to focus on the other issues that matter to people day-to-day. The issues that we came into politics to deal with.
“We owe it to the people who put us here to put their priorities first.
“So here is our renewed mission, delivering the Brexit people voted for, bringing the country back together and building a country that truly works for everyone.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Tonight’s vote makes no difference to the lives of our people.
“The Prime Minister has lost her majority in Parliament, her government is in chaos and she is unable to deliver a Brexit deal that works for the country and puts jobs and the economy first.
“That’s why she pulled the vote on her botched Brexit deal this week and is trying to avoid bringing it back to parliament. It’s clear that she has not been able to negotiate the necessary changes in Europe.
“She must now bring her dismal deal back to the House of Commons next week so Parliament can take back control.”
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the ERG chairman who marshals the right wing of the Tory party, said “I think the prime minister should resign.”
