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| Theresa's speech to the UN proved that it's not only a British audience the Maybot can lose | |
| (4 months later) | |
| Gentle threats over UN funding, a warning to North Korea and a swipe at Syria – PM goes through motions as delegates doze off | |
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| Wed 20 Sep 2017 21.35 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 16.40 GMT | |
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| Under normal circumstances, a speech to the United Nations general assembly would be a big deal. But with the week that Theresa May has just had, involving trying to deal with Boris – not to mention this Friday’s Florence EU gig – talking to the UN was a bit of light R&R. | Under normal circumstances, a speech to the United Nations general assembly would be a big deal. But with the week that Theresa May has just had, involving trying to deal with Boris – not to mention this Friday’s Florence EU gig – talking to the UN was a bit of light R&R. |
| A chance to let off a bit of steam and say what was on her mind, safe in the knowledge that there would be no tricky questions from nosy reporters. The biggest embarrassment she was likely to face was another world leader dozing off during the translation. | A chance to let off a bit of steam and say what was on her mind, safe in the knowledge that there would be no tricky questions from nosy reporters. The biggest embarrassment she was likely to face was another world leader dozing off during the translation. |
| The prime minister was made to wait more than an hour for her big moment. Although speakers are supposed to keep to a strict 10-minute time limit, none can resist trading up for their 15 minutes of fame. Or longer. | The prime minister was made to wait more than an hour for her big moment. Although speakers are supposed to keep to a strict 10-minute time limit, none can resist trading up for their 15 minutes of fame. Or longer. |
| It was only after the Portuguese prime minister had come and gone, having given a speech which was received in mostly companionable silence, that Theresa got her turn. | It was only after the Portuguese prime minister had come and gone, having given a speech which was received in mostly companionable silence, that Theresa got her turn. |
| She began – ever so politely – by talking about how the UN needed to reform; how it didn’t measure up to its ideals and how Britain was going to means test 30% of its £90m contribution to the UN. If this was intended as a major threat, or even a warm-up for any financial offer she might be making to the EU later in the week, then nobody seemed too bothered. | She began – ever so politely – by talking about how the UN needed to reform; how it didn’t measure up to its ideals and how Britain was going to means test 30% of its £90m contribution to the UN. If this was intended as a major threat, or even a warm-up for any financial offer she might be making to the EU later in the week, then nobody seemed too bothered. |
| The Slovakians had used her speech to nip off for a coffee break, while dozens of other delegates stared into space, clutched their heads in their hands or checked their Twitter feeds on their phones. It’s not just a British audience that the Maybot can lose. | The Slovakians had used her speech to nip off for a coffee break, while dozens of other delegates stared into space, clutched their heads in their hands or checked their Twitter feeds on their phones. It’s not just a British audience that the Maybot can lose. |
| Her one big moment came when she described the terror attacks in the UK and how “we will not let the terrorists destroy our lives”. That prompted a brief ripple of applause led – in the UK seats – by Boris Johnson, who was on his best behaviour, and Priti Patel. Their applause was gamely followed up by the Mauritian delegation. | Her one big moment came when she described the terror attacks in the UK and how “we will not let the terrorists destroy our lives”. That prompted a brief ripple of applause led – in the UK seats – by Boris Johnson, who was on his best behaviour, and Priti Patel. Their applause was gamely followed up by the Mauritian delegation. |
| After that it was business as usual. A call for a crackdown on the use of the internet in international terrorism, followed by a swipe at Syria – and by implication Russia, though she was careful not to mention the country by name – for using chemical weapons on its own people. | After that it was business as usual. A call for a crackdown on the use of the internet in international terrorism, followed by a swipe at Syria – and by implication Russia, though she was careful not to mention the country by name – for using chemical weapons on its own people. |
| Neither the Syrians nor the Russians appeared particularly bothered. They had heard all of this many times before from much scarier people than the British prime minister. | Neither the Syrians nor the Russians appeared particularly bothered. They had heard all of this many times before from much scarier people than the British prime minister. |
| Theresa ended with a warning to North Korea. It wasn’t the “rocket man” and “let’s nuke the country” rhetoric of President Trump’s speech the day before; rather it was a more genteel threat that merely implied Britain would be happy for the US to take out the North Koreans. | Theresa ended with a warning to North Korea. It wasn’t the “rocket man” and “let’s nuke the country” rhetoric of President Trump’s speech the day before; rather it was a more genteel threat that merely implied Britain would be happy for the US to take out the North Koreans. |
| If she had realised that London was actually closer to Pyongyang than Los Angeles, she might have rethought that last sentence. But as she hadn’t, it was job done. | If she had realised that London was actually closer to Pyongyang than Los Angeles, she might have rethought that last sentence. But as she hadn’t, it was job done. |
| She left to a mildly indifferent round of applause, once again led by Boris. If she gets the same reaction in Florence, her speech will have been a triumph. | She left to a mildly indifferent round of applause, once again led by Boris. If she gets the same reaction in Florence, her speech will have been a triumph. |
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