‘UK public wants me to get on with the job’ – May
THERESA May has dismissed criticism of her vow to fight the next general election, insisting the public wants the government to “get on with the job” of dealing with the challenges facing the country.
The Prime Minister used her visit to Japan to issue a defiant message that she is not a “quitter” and will lead the party into the 2022 general election.
Critics of her approach, including former ministers Nicky Morgan and Grant Shapps, have said it would be difficult for her to continue following the disastrous election this year which saw her lose the Tory majority.
But at a press conference alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Mrs May said: “I said I wasn’t a quitter and there is a long-term job to do. There is an important job to be done in the United Kingdom, we stand at a really critical time in the UK.”
In an attempt to show that her administration would not be defined by Brexit, Mrs May insisted she was tackling “long-term challenges” to reform the economy and tackle “injustices” including in mental health care.
“These are real issues that we need to be dealing with and I’m there to do it,” she said.
“For most members of the public, they would say they want the government to get on with the job and that’s exactly what I and the government are doing.”
Former party chairman Mr Shapps said it was “too early” for Mrs May to talk about going “on and on” like Margaret Thatcher.
Mr Shapps said: “I don’t think there’s an appetite for leadership elections right at this moment.”
He said the Prime Minister should be judged on her performance in the Brexit negotiations but it was “probably the case” that nobody wanted Mrs May to face Jeremy Corbyn at the ballot box again.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “Let’s get some progress first, I think that’s the priority.”