My deal or no deal, defiant PM May says in Brexit speech
I am absolutely sure you the public have had enough. You are tired of the infighting. You are tired of the political games and the arcane procedural rows. Theresa May, British Prime Minister
LONDON: Prime Minister Theresa May announced Wednesday she will not delay Britain’s departure from the European Union ( EU) beyond June, ruling out a further extension if MPs reject her Brexit deal, Xinhua news Agency reported.
Her message from 10 Downing Street to the British people came after another tense day in the House of Commons when she announced she has asked EU Council President Donald Tusk to delay Britain’s exit from the bloc.
Her forceful message was throwing down the gauntlet to MPs that if they reject her deal there will be no deal, paving the way for Britain leaving the EU after a membership of 46 years.
Political commentators said the speech was a risky tactic for May because of the way she criticised MPs, the very politicians she needs to get her deal over the line.
It was a change to her stance last week when she said she would seek a longer extension from Brussels if MPs rejected her deal.
But its clear May was furious when this week the Speaker of the House of Commons ruled that May could not present her Brexit bill a third time to MPs unless there were dramatic changes.
May heads to the EU Council meeting Thursday hoping to gather some words to add to her deal to enable it to be put before the Commons, probably next week, a third time.
It will be a risk factor for the Prime Minister because her deal has already been rejected twice, the first time by 230 votes, the highest ever defeat in British political history, and by 149 votes last week.
By insisting she would not keep Britain in the EU beyond June, May is effectively giving squabbling MPs the chance to accept her deal or risk no deal. May started her statement by saying it was of great personal regret that Britain is not leaving on March 29, the departure date set in 2017 when the British government voted by a big margin to trigger the two-year countdown mechanism.
“I am absolutely sure you the public have had enough. You are tired of the infighting. You are tired of the political games and the arcane procedural rows,” May said.
She added people were tired of MPs talking about nothing else but Brexit when there are real concerns about children’s schools, the National Health Service, and knife crime.
“It is now time for MPs to decide,” she added, “do they want to leave the EU with a deal which delivers on the result of the referendum, or do they want to leave without a deal.”