This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/28/theresa-may-blames-brexit-failure-for-european-election-humiliation
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Theresa May blames Brexit failure for EU election humiliation | Theresa May blames Brexit failure for EU election humiliation |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Theresa May has blamed the failure to deliver Brexit for the Conservative party’s disastrous European election results in her first public appearance since announcing her resignation as prime minister, but cautioned against leaving the EU without a deal. | Theresa May has blamed the failure to deliver Brexit for the Conservative party’s disastrous European election results in her first public appearance since announcing her resignation as prime minister, but cautioned against leaving the EU without a deal. |
| As she arrived at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels, May said she hoped her successor would find a “consensus” in parliament that could take the UK out of the bloc with an agreement with the other 27 member states. | As she arrived at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels, May said she hoped her successor would find a “consensus” in parliament that could take the UK out of the bloc with an agreement with the other 27 member states. |
| She declined to comment directly on the claims by some of those seeking to replace her, including the former foreign secretary Boris Johnson and the former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, who say the UK should leave on 31 October with or without a deal. | She declined to comment directly on the claims by some of those seeking to replace her, including the former foreign secretary Boris Johnson and the former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, who say the UK should leave on 31 October with or without a deal. |
| May emphasised the need for the next prime minister to gain the support of parliament, which has previously voted to block an exit without an agreement with Brussels. | May emphasised the need for the next prime minister to gain the support of parliament, which has previously voted to block an exit without an agreement with Brussels. |
| She said: “While I’ve been prime minister, I’ve been to something like 15 meetings or more and, in every one of those, I’ve been working hard to negotiate the best possible deal for the UK in leaving the European Union and it’s a matter of great regret to me that I haven’t been able to deliver Brexit. | She said: “While I’ve been prime minister, I’ve been to something like 15 meetings or more and, in every one of those, I’ve been working hard to negotiate the best possible deal for the UK in leaving the European Union and it’s a matter of great regret to me that I haven’t been able to deliver Brexit. |
| Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here and listen https://audio.guim.co.uk/2019/05/27-74970-190528_TIF_euelections.mp3 | |
| “But of course that matter is for my successor and they will have to find a way of addressing the very strongly held views on both sides of this issue. To do that and to get a majority in parliament, as I said on Friday, I think will require compromise. | “But of course that matter is for my successor and they will have to find a way of addressing the very strongly held views on both sides of this issue. To do that and to get a majority in parliament, as I said on Friday, I think will require compromise. |
| “I’ve always taken a view that the best option for the UK is to leave the European Union with a deal. I’m not going to comment on the views of individual candidates. There will be a process of selecting my successor as leader of the Conservative party but I continue to have the view that it’s best for the UK to leave with a deal.” | “I’ve always taken a view that the best option for the UK is to leave the European Union with a deal. I’m not going to comment on the views of individual candidates. There will be a process of selecting my successor as leader of the Conservative party but I continue to have the view that it’s best for the UK to leave with a deal.” |
| Before a meeting with May, the European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, dismissed the claim made by many of the Tory leadership challengers that they would renegotiate the withdrawal agreement on becoming prime minister. “I will have a short meeting with Theresa May but I was crystal clear there will be no renegotiation,” he said. | Before a meeting with May, the European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, dismissed the claim made by many of the Tory leadership challengers that they would renegotiate the withdrawal agreement on becoming prime minister. “I will have a short meeting with Theresa May but I was crystal clear there will be no renegotiation,” he said. |
| Remain v hard Brexit: what the UK's EU election results tell us | Remain v hard Brexit: what the UK's EU election results tell us |
| The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, said May would receive “lots of kisses” from her fellow leaders but that there would be no further negotiations with the UK unless the government changed its red lines, in a reference to the EU’s openness to a customs union. | The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, said May would receive “lots of kisses” from her fellow leaders but that there would be no further negotiations with the UK unless the government changed its red lines, in a reference to the EU’s openness to a customs union. |
| The Tory party suffered its worst set of results in last week’s European elections, winning just three seats, down 18 on 2014. | The Tory party suffered its worst set of results in last week’s European elections, winning just three seats, down 18 on 2014. |
| May resigned the day after voters went to the polls after her last-ditch attempt to get her withdrawal agreement through was blocked by the cabinet, who were concerned by her offer of a parliamentary vote on a second referendum. | May resigned the day after voters went to the polls after her last-ditch attempt to get her withdrawal agreement through was blocked by the cabinet, who were concerned by her offer of a parliamentary vote on a second referendum. |
| The prime minister is remaining in post until the Tory party elects a new leader in July and was in Brussels to take part in discussions over replacements for Juncker and Donald Tusk, the president of the European council. | The prime minister is remaining in post until the Tory party elects a new leader in July and was in Brussels to take part in discussions over replacements for Juncker and Donald Tusk, the president of the European council. |
| “Of course the European election results were deeply disappointing for the party,” May said. “What it shows is the importance of actually delivering Brexit. I think the best way of doing that is with a deal but it will be for my successor and for parliament to find a way forward to get a consensus and I hope that those election results will focus parliament on the need to deliver Brexit.” | “Of course the European election results were deeply disappointing for the party,” May said. “What it shows is the importance of actually delivering Brexit. I think the best way of doing that is with a deal but it will be for my successor and for parliament to find a way forward to get a consensus and I hope that those election results will focus parliament on the need to deliver Brexit.” |
| The Brexit party won 29 seats, making it the joint largest party in the European parliament, but the second-biggest winner in the UK’s elections were the Liberal Democrats with 16 seats, up from a single seat five years ago. | The Brexit party won 29 seats, making it the joint largest party in the European parliament, but the second-biggest winner in the UK’s elections were the Liberal Democrats with 16 seats, up from a single seat five years ago. |
| The party’s leader, Vince Cable, who was in Brussels to meet eight prime ministers whose parties sit in the same liberal political group in the parliament, suggested he had the backing from the other leaders to push for a second referendum. | The party’s leader, Vince Cable, who was in Brussels to meet eight prime ministers whose parties sit in the same liberal political group in the parliament, suggested he had the backing from the other leaders to push for a second referendum. |
| He said: “They’re very keen that Britain remains because of the liberal contribution and I briefed them on what’s happening in British politics and I said there’s every reason to expect that we’re going to stay, that we’re not leaving at the end of October.” | He said: “They’re very keen that Britain remains because of the liberal contribution and I briefed them on what’s happening in British politics and I said there’s every reason to expect that we’re going to stay, that we’re not leaving at the end of October.” |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| Theresa May | Theresa May |
| European parliamentary elections 2019 | European parliamentary elections 2019 |
| European elections | European elections |
| European Union | European Union |
| Foreign policy | Foreign policy |
| Conservatives | Conservatives |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |