Not just Madam Brexit! PM says she’s in top job for ‘ long term’
THEREsA May has denied she is simply ‘Madam Brexit’, declaring she is in the top job for the ‘long term’.
The Prime Minister said she is feeling optimistic and will ‘undoubtedly’ deliver on a Brexit deal. But she said there are also other strings to her bow, arguing that her Government has just delivered a successful Budget and paved the way for bright years to come.
On Thursday, an interpreter for Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki referred to Mrs May as ‘Madam Brexit’ in a translation broadcast live on television during a press conference in Warsaw.
Mrs May was then seen smiling as she listened to the translation through her ear piece. It was not clear if it was an accurate representation of what Mr Morawiecki said or a mistake.
The translation was made was during a joint press conference after signing a joint UK-Poland Treaty on Defence and security Co-operation.
The PM also discussed a future trade deal with Poland ahead of crunch talks on Brexit next year.
Asked how she felt about being called Madam Brexit, she said: ‘You might have noticed I smiled when I heard the translation of Mrs Brexit or Madam Brexit. Look, I am going to deliver on Brexit. That is undoubtedly the case, but I am doing other things as well.’
Following June’s disastrous election result, many predicted Mrs May would not survive as prime minister beyond the end of the year and few expected her to lead the Tories to the next election. But questioned about suggestions she might fight beyond 2022, Mrs May replied: ‘I’m in it for the long term.’ As well as losing her majority, this year Mrs May has also endured three cabinet resignations and tough Brexit negotiations.
Asked if she would characterise 2017 as one of the most difficult years of her career, she said: ‘If you look at what’s happened over the past couple of months we have made sufficient progress on the Brexit negotiations, we have had a good Budget that is building a Britain that is fit for the future.’
Mrs May also pointed to her Government’s changes on skills, education and training, while adding that her industrial strategy was a ‘crucial’ part of ensuring ‘our economy does meet the needs of the future and is providing the jobs of the future for the people in the UK.’