UK media: Cabinet revolts against May
March 23, 2019
UK media reported late on Saturday that Prime Minister Theresa May was facing a Cabinet revolt and may have to resign immediately.
The move comes just days ahead of a planned third vote on May's twice-rejected Brexit deal.
What we know so far:
- The Sunday Times, The Telegraph and The Daily Mail reported on the potential coup, citing Conservative MPs.
- All said an interim leader would be appointed to oversee the last weeks of Brexit negotiation.
- The Daily Mail tabloid said Environment Secretary Michael Gove would likely take temporary leadership before a full contest in the summer.
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'A mockery'
The Times political editor Tim Shipman said, "Cabinet ministers have turned on May in a spectacular fashion," and are pressuring her to leave, though she has still not made a firm decision to do so. He added that May's husband was one of the few urging her to try and stay on as prime minister.
Pro-Brexit Conservative MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan told The Telegraph that the way May "allowed herself to be treated in Brussels made a mockery of taking back control."
Buzzfeed News said government whip Paul Maynard told May her strategy was both failing and destroying their party.
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Conservative MP George Freeman summed up the political mood, saying, "You can see the anger."
Street protests: Earlier on Saturday, more than one million people took to the streets of London to demand a second referendum, and an end to two years of political uncertainty.
Second vote: UK lawmakers voted this week to postpone the deadline for a deal by a few weeks after failing to reach a consensus. The new deadline for a deal is April 12, to avoid having Britain field candidates for the upcoming EU elections in May.
es/aw (AP, Reuters)
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