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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/14/jeremy-hunt-flounders-on-why-people-should-vote-conservative
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| Jeremy Hunt flounders on why people should vote Conservative | Jeremy Hunt flounders on why people should vote Conservative |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Tory leadership hopeful Jeremy Hunt floundered when asked why people should vote Conservative, as he acknowledged the party may be heading for “disastrous” European results and could be “crucified” at a general election if Brexit is not resolved. | Tory leadership hopeful Jeremy Hunt floundered when asked why people should vote Conservative, as he acknowledged the party may be heading for “disastrous” European results and could be “crucified” at a general election if Brexit is not resolved. |
| Theresa May faces ultimatum: set your exit date or quit now | Theresa May faces ultimatum: set your exit date or quit now |
| With Nigel Farage’s Brexit party riding high in the polls, the foreign secretary was questioned on why people should vote for his party but he initially could only come up with: “Because you believe in Conservative policies.” | |
| Challenged for a better answer, he said: “OK, let me give you another reason. Let me have another stab at it … Because we are not going to solve this problem by retreating to populist extremes.” | |
| Hunt, who is known to be building a leadership campaign team, said both the Conservatives and Labour would be “crucified by our bases” if they failed to implement Brexit by a general election. | Hunt, who is known to be building a leadership campaign team, said both the Conservatives and Labour would be “crucified by our bases” if they failed to implement Brexit by a general election. |
| The UK elects 73 members (MEPs) to the European parliament, which is made up of 751 MEPs elected by the 28 member states of the EU. The UK is split into 12 European electoral regions, and each region is represented by between three and 10 MEPs. | The UK elects 73 members (MEPs) to the European parliament, which is made up of 751 MEPs elected by the 28 member states of the EU. The UK is split into 12 European electoral regions, and each region is represented by between three and 10 MEPs. |
| The constituencies are: | The constituencies are: |
| South East England (10 MEPs) | South East England (10 MEPs) |
| London (8) | London (8) |
| North West England (8) | North West England (8) |
| East of England (7) | East of England (7) |
| West Midlands (7) | West Midlands (7) |
| South West England (including Gibraltar) (6) | South West England (including Gibraltar) (6) |
| Yorkshire and the Humber (6) | Yorkshire and the Humber (6) |
| Scotland (6) | Scotland (6) |
| East Midlands (5) | East Midlands (5) |
| Wales (4) | Wales (4) |
| North East England (3) | North East England (3) |
| Northern Ireland (3) | Northern Ireland (3) |
| You can find out who is standing for election in your area here. Current polling suggests that support for the Conservatives has slumped to 11%, less than a third of what the Nigel Farage’s new Brexit party is polling. | You can find out who is standing for election in your area here. Current polling suggests that support for the Conservatives has slumped to 11%, less than a third of what the Nigel Farage’s new Brexit party is polling. |
| In England, Scotland and Wales, voters can choose to vote for one party or individual. The ballot paper lists the parties standing with the names of their potential MEPs, as well as any individuals who are standing as independent candidates. The D’Hondt method of proportional representation is used to calculate how many seats each party or individual receives. | In England, Scotland and Wales, voters can choose to vote for one party or individual. The ballot paper lists the parties standing with the names of their potential MEPs, as well as any individuals who are standing as independent candidates. The D’Hondt method of proportional representation is used to calculate how many seats each party or individual receives. |
| In Northern Ireland, the single transferable vote method is used, where each voter ranks candidates in order of preference, marking 1 beside their most preferred candidate, 2 beside their second choice, and so on. These votes are then used to allocate Northern Ireland’s three MEPs. | In Northern Ireland, the single transferable vote method is used, where each voter ranks candidates in order of preference, marking 1 beside their most preferred candidate, 2 beside their second choice, and so on. These votes are then used to allocate Northern Ireland’s three MEPs. |
| Those elected as MEPs on 23 May will represent the UK when the new European parliament assembles on 1 July, until such time as the UK ceases to be a member of the European Union. | Those elected as MEPs on 23 May will represent the UK when the new European parliament assembles on 1 July, until such time as the UK ceases to be a member of the European Union. |
| However, he also struggled on the question of how he would resolve the Brexit deadlock. | However, he also struggled on the question of how he would resolve the Brexit deadlock. |
| Hunt said it was “not impossible” to strike a deal with Labour but sounded downbeat about its prospects as both parties normally “fight each other like terriers and do not trust each other as far as they can throw them.” | Hunt said it was “not impossible” to strike a deal with Labour but sounded downbeat about its prospects as both parties normally “fight each other like terriers and do not trust each other as far as they can throw them.” |
| He then ruled out two more options, saying both a general election and second referendum were difficult. | He then ruled out two more options, saying both a general election and second referendum were difficult. |
| On the third option of leaving the EU without an agreement in October, he said the EU would probably not countenance an extension but that parliament had ruled out opting for no deal at this point. | On the third option of leaving the EU without an agreement in October, he said the EU would probably not countenance an extension but that parliament had ruled out opting for no deal at this point. |
| Pressed on whether no deal should be put back on the table by a new Tory leader, he said: “You’re giving me a yes or no question to which there is not a yes or no answer.” | Pressed on whether no deal should be put back on the table by a new Tory leader, he said: “You’re giving me a yes or no question to which there is not a yes or no answer.” |
| His solution to the paralysis appeared to be for MPs to change their positions and vote for Theresa May’s Brexit deal. But he suggested the prime minister’s current deal was unsatisfactory because the EU had never believed that the UK was prepared to walk away. | His solution to the paralysis appeared to be for MPs to change their positions and vote for Theresa May’s Brexit deal. But he suggested the prime minister’s current deal was unsatisfactory because the EU had never believed that the UK was prepared to walk away. |
| “I think it is very, very difficult to get a successful outcome to a negotiation if the other side thinks you will never walk away,” he said, speaking at a Wall Street Journal conference of chief executives. | “I think it is very, very difficult to get a successful outcome to a negotiation if the other side thinks you will never walk away,” he said, speaking at a Wall Street Journal conference of chief executives. |
| Brexit talks to continue as cabinet sets summer deadline to quit EU | Brexit talks to continue as cabinet sets summer deadline to quit EU |
| Hunt added: “In a way that is part of the reason why we have an impasse in the current negotiations because [the] other side, the Europeans, have sensed that the UK is not prepared to walk away and that has meant they have not been prepared to be as flexible as they might have been.” | Hunt added: “In a way that is part of the reason why we have an impasse in the current negotiations because [the] other side, the Europeans, have sensed that the UK is not prepared to walk away and that has meant they have not been prepared to be as flexible as they might have been.” |
| However, he suggested the predicted dire results for the Conservatives at the European elections could concentrate the minds of MPs to vote for May’s deal, even though the party is haemorrhaging support to the Brexit party, which supports a no-deal position. | However, he suggested the predicted dire results for the Conservatives at the European elections could concentrate the minds of MPs to vote for May’s deal, even though the party is haemorrhaging support to the Brexit party, which supports a no-deal position. |
| He said: “I hope if the European elections are as disastrous as people are thinking … If those European elections are as bad for the main parties as the polls suggest, then I hope that sends a message to my colleagues at Westminster that we have to find a way through this.” | He said: “I hope if the European elections are as disastrous as people are thinking … If those European elections are as bad for the main parties as the polls suggest, then I hope that sends a message to my colleagues at Westminster that we have to find a way through this.” |
| He declined to confirm he would run to be Conservative leader but he has previously said: “Wait and see.” | He declined to confirm he would run to be Conservative leader but he has previously said: “Wait and see.” |
| Jeremy Hunt | Jeremy Hunt |
| Conservatives | Conservatives |
| European parliamentary elections 2019 | European parliamentary elections 2019 |
| Conservative leadership | Conservative leadership |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| news | news |
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