May races to form govt, announces Cabinet

Ministers push for foreign secretary to take over from PM after disastrous poll results

London, June 11: On a day when former Conservative Chancellor George Osborne called British Prime Minister Theresa May “dead woman walking” as she raced to secure the support she needs to stay in power following a disastrous election, the Prime Minister unveiled her new Cabinet.

While appointing her close ally Damian Green as her first secretary of state, effectively seen as the deputy Prime Minister in terms of Cabinet seniority, the Prime Minister retained Priti Patel as the seniormost Indian-origin Cabinet minister.

Ms May had confirmed on Friday, soon after the general election results

Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn said the Conservative government did not have credibility and his party would do what it could to stop it, including by voting down the Queen’s Speech. Vowing to defeating Ms May in Parliament, he insisted, ‘I can still be Prime Minister.’

were confirmed, that five of her top-most Cabinet posts will remain unchanged – including Philip Hammond as chancellor of the exchequer, Amber Rudd as home secretary, Boris Johnson as

DOWNING STREET and DUP are still in discussions over a possible deal to secure support for Theresa May’s minority Conservative government. Under discussion is not a full coalition, but an agreement which sees the smaller party back the larger one in key votes, such as the Budget.

foreign secretary, David Davis as Brexit secretary and Michael Fallon in charge of the ministry of defence.

The remaining Cabinet posts are set for a reshuffle from her previous administration.

Reports said, Downing Street and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) are still in discussions over a possible deal to secure support for Ms May’s minority Conservative government.

On Saturday, Downing Street had announced that a deal had been agreed in principle, but both sides then issued statements saying talks were ongoing.

The Tories need the support of the DUP’s 10 MPs for a Commons majority.

No 10 described it as a “confidence and supply” deal rather than a coalition. The agreement being discussed between the DUP and the Tories, who fell eight seats short of a majority in Thursday’s election, is not a full coalition, but an agreement which sees the smaller party support the larger one in key votes such as on the Budget.

Downing Street and the DUP issued separate statements Saturday night, emphasising that the deal between them had not yet been finalised.

The tone of both was in contrast to Saturday evening’s message from No 10, which said a deal had been agreed in principle.

The DUP also retweeted a Sky News journalist’s tweet claiming Downing Street’s first statement had been issued in error.

London, June 11: At least, five UK Cabinet ministers are pushing for Boris Johnson to topple Theresa May as Conservative party leader and Prime Minister, one of his close allies said on Sunday but the foreign secretary denied any plans of a coup.

Pressure has been building up on Ms May to step down after a disastrous election result for the Tories which saw the ruling party’s majority slashed and being forced to cobble together a minority government with the support of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

“A handful of senior people have pledged their loyalty to Boris at Cabinet level,” a Johnson ally told The Sunday Times. “He has been inundated with messages of support... We need a Brexiteer. Boris is the only option with the liberal values, Brexit credentials and popular appeal,” he added.

But Mr Johnson reacted to media speculation on Twitter by dismissing any rebellion, “I am backing Theresa May. Let’s get on with the job.”

Mr Johnson, one of the Conservatives’ most popular politicians, tweeted that an article in the Mail on Sunday newspaper headlined “Boris set to launch bid to be PM as May clings on” was “tripe”. The Conservatives lost their parliamentary majority in Thursday’s election. Ms May called the snap vote in a bid to strengthen her mandate ahead of exit talks with the European Union. Instead, she has left Britain’s government ranks in disarray days before the divorce negotiations are due to start.