The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Under-fire May vows to see Brexit through
Rees-Mogg leads attack as PM is beset by enemy forces
THERESA May came out swinging last night, vowing to see Brexit through as she shrugged off Cabinet resignations and an emerging plot to oust her as leader.
As well as losing two senior members of her team amid a string of walk-outs, arch-Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg put his money where his mouth is, penning a letter demanding a vote of no confidence in Mrs May. She was forced to defend her draft Brexit divorce deal for three hours at the despatch box, facing question after question from MPs who said they could not support it.
Amid mounting opposition, it looks unlikely she will be able to get the approval of parliament next month.
But she appeared defiant last night, declaring: “Am I going to see this through? Yes.” European Council president Donald Tusk announced an extraordinary summit later this month.
Adefiant Theresa May vowed last night to see the Brexit process through – despite an emerging plot for her to be ousted and a string of ministerial resignations.
The Tory leader defended her plans for three hours in the Commons, before taking to the airwaves to declare she will not give up.
Asked about her determination to carry on, Mrs May likened herself to former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott who “stuck to it and got the runs in the end”.
Speaking at a press conference at Number 10, she said: “I believe with every fibre of my being that the course I have set out is the right one for our country and all our people.
“Leadership is about taking the right decisions, not the easy ones.”
Her comments came as European Council President Donald Tusk announced an extraordinary summit in Brussels on November 25 to finalise the UK’s withdrawal agreement.
MPs warned the prime minister yesterday, however, that she will not get it through parliament.
She rejected claims she is in denial about her fate or the fate of Brexit.
Rebutting criticism of the deal on the table, she said no one had come up with an “alternative” that delivers on both the referendum result and ensures there’s no hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
It was a torrid day for the prime minister, with Dominic Raab resigning as Brexit secretary early on and Esther McVey quitting as work and pensions secretary soon after.
Meanwhile, Brexiteerin-chief Jacob Rees-Mogg has submitted a letter of no confidence in Mrs May.
She also came under fire on all fronts as she updated the House following Wednesday’s marathon five-hour cabinet meeting where a “collective” decision was reached to sign off on the deal.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called the agreement a “huge and damaging failure”, while DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds – whose party props up Mrs May’s government at Westminster – said the choice was standing up for the integrity of the UK or watching it break-up.
SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford urged Mrs May to “stop the clock and go back to Brussels”, also revealing Scotland is not mentioned once in all of the 585 pages.
“The course I have set out is the right one”