Confidence Granted

Whilst some were already thinking of a replacement for May as Conservative leader, May was busy gaining MP’s confidence and eventually winning the confidence vote, 200 to 117. UK Prime Minister Theresa May has successfully survived a vote of no-confidence triggered by members of her own party over her decision-making in the Brexit deal. This vote has bought May sometime, preventing her from being challenged again by her own party anytime in the next 12 months. However, May did not ignore those that voted against her, “A significant number of colleagues did cast a vote against me and I have listened to what they said,” May said.

That must start here in Westminster, with politicians on all sides coming together and acting in the national interest. For my part I've heard what the House of Commons said about the Northern Ireland backstop, and when I go to the European Council tomorrow, I will be seeking legal and political assurances that will assuage the concerns that Members of Parliament have on that issue. But while delivering Brexit is important, we also need to focus on the other issues that people feel are vital to them, that matter to them day to day, the issues that we came into politics to deal with: building a stronger economy, delivering first class public services, building the homes that families need. We owe it to the people who put us here to put their priorities first. So here is our renewed mission -- delivering the Brexit that people voted for, bringing the country back together and building a country that truly works for everyone.

Yet delivering the Brexit that people voted for is also in the hands of the European Union, who at the moment will not offer May a better deal. May is now off to achieve the seemingly impossible, securing concessions from EU leaders to change the withdrawal agreement. Returning to the UK without a renegotiated deal would mean that May has managed to keep her party only to lose control of the Commons and the government. May together with her diplomats have been running in circles trying to amend the agreement, to no avail. With her leadership secured, May may wait until the 11^th hour before presenting the agreement in parliament for a vote, hoping that MP’s will support it due to the stake being so high.

EU leaders in Brussels have insisted that they will not amend the deal that 100 Tory MP’s want her to ditch. The European Council president, Donald Tusk, spoke out of respect for May, but was unable to give the prime minister what she had gone to Brussels asking for.

I have no mandate to organise any further negotiations. We have to exclude any kind of reopening our negotiations on the withdrawal agreement. But of course we will stay here in Brussels, and I am always at Prime Minister Theresa May’s disposal. We have treated Prime Minister May with the greatest respect, all of us, and we really appreciate the efforts by the prime minister to ratify our common agreement. My impression is that in fact we have treated prime minister May with a much greater empathy and respect than some MPs, for sure.

May is still hoping to obtain “further clarification” from Europe as to why they are not willing to amend the deal after she was being “crystal clear” as to the assurances she is seeking. The Irish prime minister said the EU was prepared to offer explanations and assurances over the Brexit deal, but “there are limitations”, he said. Thus, leaving the possibility of a no-deal Brexit.