Embattled May unveils new cabinet

PM seeks deal with N. Irish party to up minority govt

LONDON, June 11, (AP): Embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May appointed ministers to her shaky government Sunday, as some Conservative colleagues rallied to support her — and others said her days were numbered after last week’s disastrous election.

May is seeking a deal with a Northern Irish party to prop up the Conservative minority administration, and lawmakers said the rebuff from voters meant the government will have to abandon planned policies and re-think its strategy for European Union exit talks.

A stream of senior lawmakers entered May’s 10 Downing St office Sunday afternoon, to learn what roles they had been given in government.

May’s weakened position in the party ruled out big changes. All the most senior ministers — including Treasury chief Philip Hammond, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Defense Secretary Michael Fallon and Home Secretary Amber Rudd — kept their jobs and there were few changes in the Cabinet lineup. Damian Green, a lawmaker in the pro-EU wing of the party, was promoted to first secretary of state — effectively deputy prime minister.

As rumors swirled about plots to oust May, Johnson denied he was planning a leadership challenge. He 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.”

In a WhatsApp message to Conservative lawmakers, Johnson said: “Folks we need to calm down and get behind the prime minister.”

Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May was seeking to form a minority government with support from Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party.

“I do believe it’s important we have certainty,” Flanagan told ITV.

“Our priorities are to ensure that there is as close as possible a deal between the UK and the EU, having regard to the very severe consequences and severe adverse

In Thursday’s election the Conservatives won 318 of the 650 House of Commons seats, 12 fewer than the party had before the snap election, and eight short of the 326 needed for an outright majority. Labour surpassed expectations by winning 262.

Former Treasury chief George Osborne — who was fired by May last year — called May a “dead woman walking,” and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was ready to contest another election at any time.

Many senior Conservatives say May should stay, for now, to provide stability. But few believe she can hang on for more than a few months.

Chairs

But Graham Brady, who chairs the influential 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative lawmakers, said a “self-indulgent” party leadership campaign would only cause more uncertainty.

He acknowledged that the government would now be unable to get many of the measures promised in its election platform through Parliament.

May called the election called in a bid to strengthen her mandate ahead of EU exit talks. Instead, she has left Britain’s position in disarray, days before the divorce negotiations are due to start on June 19. Voters failed to give a ringing endorsement to May’s plan for Brexit, which involves leaving the EU’s single market and imposing restrictions on immigration while trying to negotiate free trade deal with the bloc.

Some say her failure means the government must now take a more flexible

consequences of the UK leaving the European Union on us here in Ireland,” he said.

“We will be anxious to ensure that whatever the result of these negotiations is doesn’t in any way adversely impact on our unique circumstances here in Ireland, with particular reference to our peace process.”

Asked whether a delay in the start of the Brexit talks, scheduled for June 19, was possible, Flanagan said: “I’m conscious of approach to the divorce, potentially softening the exit terms.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who took the party from one Scottish seat to 13, said there would now have to be “consensus within the country about what it means and what we seek to achieve as we leave.”

To stay in power, the Conservatives are seeking support from Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party. Some of the key players: — Theresa May

— Damian

Green

(Treasury) — Philip Hammond

— Liz Truss

David Davis

Gauke

Justine Greening — Jeremy Hunt

— Chris Grayling

Priti Patel

— David Lidington — Michael Fallon — Greg Clark

— Sajid Javid

Williamson

— Boris Johnson — Amber Rudd

—

— David

—

— — Alun Cairns

— Gavin

the fact that this clock is ticking.

“We’re a year now since the referendum. We lost some time over the last seven weeks during the general election campaign. Europe is ready to start these negotiations.” Asked whether the prospect of a Conservative government in Britain reliant on support from the DUP was in itself a threat to Northern Ireland’s peace process, Flanagan said:

“Not necessarily the case. It remains to be seen what the nature of that deal is.”

He said he had raised the issue with Britain’s minister for Northern Ireland, James Brokenshire, and would meet him again on Monday.

In related news, the British government’s views on upcoming Brexit negotiations have not changed following Prime Minister Theresa May’s failure to win an outright majority at a national election, Defence Minister Michael Fallon said on Sunday.

May called the election to try to strengthen her hand in Brexit talks, but her party lost its majority in parliament. She plans to lead a minority government with the support of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party.

“Our view of Brexit I don’t think has changed, we want a partnership with Europe, we want an agreement that maximizes our access to the single market, comes to an arrangement on immigration, continues the security cooperation we already have with Europe,” he told BBC television.

Fallon also said he believed there was a majority in parliament for this Brexit plan.

“Everybody wants to see an agreement in the end that does respect what the British people voted for last year.” (RTRS)