“Never seen such a bonkers, deluded speech.”
Theresa May was speaking at Downing Street this afternoon following her meeting at Buckingham Palace with a view to forming a new government.
The Prime Minister made it clear that she will not resign before stating that she will create a minority government with the DUP.
May said that she will create “a government that can provide certainty, and lead Britain forward at this critical time for our country. This government will guide the country through the crucial Brexit talks that begin in just 10 days and deliver on the will of the British people by taking the United Kingdom out of the E.U.”
The Prime Minister adds: “It will work to keep our nation safe and secure by delivering the change that I set out following the appalling attacks in Manchester and London, cracking down on the ideology of Islamist extremism and all those that support it. Giving the police and the authorities the powers they need to keep our country safe. The government I lead will put fairness and opportunity at the heart of everything we do, so we will fulfill the promise of Brexit together and over the next five years , we will build a country in which no one and no community is left behind.”
Regarding an agreement with the DUP, she says: “What the country needs more than ever is certainty, and having secured the largest number of votes, and the greatest number of seats in the general election, it’s clear that only the Conservative and Unionist Party have the legitimacy and ability to provide that certainty by commanding a majority in the House of Commons.  As we do, we will continue to work with our friends and allies in the Democratic Unionist Party in particular. Our two parties have enjoyed a strong relationship over many years and this gives me the confidence to to believe that we will be able to work together in the interests of the whole UK.”
May didn’t even mention the election result during her speech as she remarked that: “what the country needs now more than ever is certainty. Having secured the largest number of votes and greatest number of seats in the general election, it is clear the Conservatives and Unionist party has the legitimacy to provide that.”
Here’s the speech in full along with some of the reactions that it provoked.
I will form a government to "provide certainty and lead Britain forward" – Theresa May https://t.co/8xOR0z6PJc #bbcelection #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/GPFYj5GxH5
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) June 9, 2017
Truth be told, it didn’t go down well.
Does Theresa May think she won?
Never seen such a bonkers, deluded speech.— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 9, 2017
Theresa May's speech the most staggering exercise in political denial I've ever seen.
— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) June 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/HKesvani/status/873147186506326016
The breathtaking arrogance of that speech by Theresa May.
— John McDermott (@johnpmcdermott) June 9, 2017
Bizarre and unrepentant speech will not have helped Theresa May's chances of staying for long. Wrong tone, no humility, no reaching out
— Rowena Mason (@rowenamason) June 9, 2017
Theresa May's speech is like when Jose Mourinho said Man Utd's unbeaten record was still intact because Hull's penalty wasn't a penalty.
— IAN HYLAND (@HylandIan) June 9, 2017
Great speech from Theresa May pic.twitter.com/2DHh9kS7Wx
— Will Gore (@WillGore) June 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/Markfergusonuk/status/873147075436957696
https://twitter.com/jessicaelgot/status/873145955939430402
May going with the speech she wrote yesterday lunchtime
— Dion Fanning (@dionfanning) June 9, 2017