IT’S NOT MY FAULT
Arrogant PM refuses to take any responsibility for her Brexit shambles
THERESA May has blamed everyone apart from herself for the Brexit fiasco.
She blasted MPs for rejecting her deal saying the public wanted them to “get on with it”.
She is bringing it back for a third vote after two defeats and said: “You the public have had enough. It is now time for MPs to decide.”
But she has failed to build a cross-party consensus and negotiated badly with the EU.
Labour’s Stephen Doughty said: “She blames everyone else yet it is she who is responsible. She could have chosen compromise – instead she has put her party and her prospects first.”
THERESA May last night said she “regretted” the UK will not leave the EU on March 29 but refused to back down on her hated Brexit deal.
The PM, who today heads for a crunch Brussels summit, placed the blame on MPs for derailing her Brexit timetable by twice rejecting the pact.
She hit out hours after EU chief Donald Tusk issued the UK with a sensational ultimatum: accept her withdrawal agreement or crash out in eight days.
Mrs May is now set to gamble on winning her “meaningful vote” at the third attempt next week.
In a TV address just after 8.30pm, she blasted Westminster’s paralysis, saying: “It is high time we made a decision.”
She added: “So far Parliament has done everything possible to avoid making a choice. All MPs have been willing to say is what they do not want.”
Mrs May said it was a “matter of great personal regret” the UK would not leave the EU as planned on March 29.
And the PM insisted: “You want this stage of the Brexit process to be over and done with. I agree, I am on your side. It is now time for MPs to decide.”
But she failed to admit any errors in her handling of the process. Her statement was widely criticised last night.
DIVISIVE
Labour MP Stephen Doughty said: “The PM’s speech was pointless, divisive and ignored the fact while she blames everyone else it is she who is responsible entirely for this crisis.
“At every stage she could have chosen compromise for the sake of the country - instead she has put her party and her own prospects first.”
Labour chief Jeremy
Corbyn said the PM was in “complete denial”. He added: “To continue to bring back her damaging and twice-rejected deal without significant changes, while threatening a no-deal outcome ruled out by MPs, is unacceptable and reckless.”
Tory MP Sam Gyimah tweeted: “Resorting to the ‘blame game’ as the PM is doing is a low blow.”
Mrs May had earlier written to the EU asking for Brexit to be delayed until June 30. In response European Council chief Mr Tusk said: “I believe that a short extension would be possible. It would be conditional on a positive vote on the
Withdrawal Agreement in the House of Commons.”
Mrs May’s humiliating request – exactly 1,000 days after the 2016 referendum – came despite the PM insisting on scores of occasions we would leave on March 29.
She previously said she would request a longer extension but was forced to limit it when furious Brexiteer ministers threatened to walk out of Government.
At Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, she signalled she could quit if forced to delay beyond June 30. She told MPs: “As Prime Minister, I am not
prepared to delay Brexit any further than June 30.” No10 later refused to say if she would stand down if the EU demanded a lengthy extension of Article 50, the formal mechanism for leaving the union.
The desperate PM last night held crisis talks with opposition party leaders. But Mr Corbyn walked out because former Labour MP Chuka Umunna, who is now spokesman for the Independent Group, was present.
Reports suggested Mr Corbyn said: “He’s not a proper party leader.”
Mr Umunna described Mr Corbyn’s reaction as “very juvenile”.
Mrs May plans a third vote on her deal next week after it was previously heavily defeated with crushing majorities. Pressure was building on Labour MPs in the party’s Leave-supporting heartlands who feel duty-bound to honour the referendum result.
They offered No10 an olive branch, suggesting they would back her deal if the Government handed MPs power over the second stage of Brexit talks, negotiating the future relationship.
The amendment was tabled by Wigan MP Lisa Nandy and Stoke MP Gareth Snell, who both represent Leave areas. No10 is expected to need up to two dozen Labour MPs to back the withdrawal plan. However, a Shadow minister from a Leave area said “very few” Labour MPs were expected to back her,
The Government’s doomsday no-deal Brexit plan, Operation Yellowhammer, will be activated on Monday, it emerged yesterday.
It kickstarts measures aimed at easing the impact with priorities including welfare, health, transport, security and economic stability.
You want Brexit to be over and done with. I agree, I am on your side THERESA MAY IN LIVE TV ADDRESS LAST NIGHT