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THERESA MAY IS the increasingly odds-on favourite to become the next British Prime Minister, after winning the backing of two of her rivals.
May won the support of more than half of Conservative Party MPs in the first round of the leadership contest last night – more than the combined support won by the four other contenders.
She has also a won the backing of fellow leadership contenders Liam Fox and Stephen Crabb, following their withdrawal from the race.
May is seen as the most likely leader to steady the ship, amid ongoing recrimination and uncertainty following Britain’s narrow referendum vote to leave the European Union.
Former investment banker Andrea Leadsom, who is being backed by a large Ukip backer, came second with 66 votes, ahead of Michael Gove (48), whose betrayal of Boris Johnson, the man for whom he had campaigned, has shocked even hardened Tory MPs.
Even though he backed Brexit, Boris was seen as a moderate centre-right figure more interested in keeping access to EU markets in return for some free movement of people.
From an Irish perspective, Theresa May is much more of a centrist than either Leadsom or Gove.
Having quietly backed the Remain campaign, May is much more likely to negotiate a ‘soft’ exit from the European Union. Immigration to the UK, for which she as Home Secretary is responsible, rose to 330,000 last year.
Gove backed the invasion of Iraq two days after 9/11, has attracted fierce criticism for his stance on the Northern peace process, and has previously called for regime change in Saudi Arabia and Zimbabwe.
Christian
Leadsom and Gove, both overtly Christian politicians keen on drastically reducing immigration, now face a dogfight to secure the right to take on May in the final round of the leadership contest.
Leadsom, who has been accused of using tax avoidance vehicles, has come under pressure to publish her tax returns after Gove’s decision to do so.
Following last night’s vote, May said:
I am pleased with this result, and very grateful to my colleagues for their support. There is a big job before us: to unite our party and the country, to negotiate the best possible deal as we leave the EU, and to make Britain work for everyone.
I am the only candidate capable of delivering these three things as prime minister, and tonight it is clear that I am also the only one capable of drawing support from the whole of the Conservative Party.
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The world is going to wait until it’s too late to tackle this maniac.
Something tells me that the international community doesn’t believe he is capable of what he says he is
No oil so…..
It has nothing to do with oil. America already sacrificed thousands of their own to protect South Korea. The issue is China and the fact that they’ve shown to be willing to fight to protect the North and their egomaniac leaders.
@Jason Culligan: You are correct the North has China behind them but you still aren’t seeing the US doing much about the WOMD that the North has but it invaded Iraqi with obvious no proof of any WOMD but plenty of oil.
2nd lad in, first row from left. foot too low. Family shot.
He’s obviously spent the army’s rifle money on nukes then.
Under normal conditions I’d say that they’re parade rifles, much like the Americans who still use M1 and M14 rifles for marching. In North Korea though, where they have 1 million more soldiers than rifles, you’re probably spot on.
Delighted, just the news we were waiting for
Look at all those robots dressed up as soldiers,wow.
I’d say they all blink in unison.
He’s only a mount like his auld fella
Another loony state supported by SF/IRA.
@Paddy Lions: Why do you stick SF and IRA into everything you don’t like? If you hated Guinness, do you put SF or IRA into that as well?
@Paddy Lions: It’s 2017, make a resolution to grow up, PLEASE
In 1986, the Sinn Fein Foreign Affairs Bureau sent a message of solidarity to the North Korean regime. The message, signed by Sile ni Dhara, stated clearly: “We offer our support to the Workers’ Party of Korea in its fight for the establishment of the Democratic Confederated Republic of Korea.” (“Sinn Fein Letter to Korea,” Ireland’s War, issue 18 (June 1986) p.7). Also, during a visit to Scandinavian countries in 1987, Gerry Adams attended a reception at the embassy of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on the occasion of the 75th birthday of Kim Il Sung. (“Gerry Adams visits Scandinavia”, Ireland’s War, issue 23 (July 1987), p.7) In 1989, an official Sinn Fein delegation including Gerry MacLochlainn, Sheena Campbell (later murdered in 1992 by loyalists) and John Doyle attended the World Youth Festival in Pyongyang (cfr “Sinn Fein Delegation at World Youth Festival”, An Phoblacht-Republican News, (vol.11 number 26), 29 June 1989 p.14).Alois Irlmaier:
DPRK is the perfect socialist state form which we can learn
Yep. Were the masses starve, are interned or executed while the leader gourges on cheese, meat and booze
Kim has nukes on the brain,the poor lad. That’s what must have caused the hair loss.
Why do I think the Yanks must have this guy covered?…Can China pull Kim’s chain in at any moment but use him as a counter against the yanks especially since Trump is sabre rattling over Taiwan.
Kim has nukes on the brain,the poor lad. I bet that’s what caused his catastrophic hair loss.
Kim is storing his farts now to power it? That is why it is taking so long?
No harm. The threat of mutual annihilation seems to be the best way to stop the deployment of nuclear weapons. Let’s hope Iran gets there too asap to negate the imbalance created by Israeli nuclear capability. Maybe then they will start to act like a civilised nation
The problem is that North Korea seem incapable of understanding that point. They already picked a fight with the US once when America had nukes and their guardian angels the Chinese still hadn’t developed nuclear weapons of their own. North Korea is also constantly close to collapsing in on itself. The last thing you want is a civil war in a nuclear capable state.
Some jowls on him the little fooker . Destroyed with the gout at this stage . Him and Donald J Trump be arm and arm skipping down the yellow brick road shortly .. soon as Donald builds one
have your say