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THERESA MAY TOOK the blame for the Conservatives’ disastrous performance in last week’s election as she faced her party’s angry MPs this evening – in what is viewed as an attempt to ward off a leadership challenge.
“I got us into this mess, and I’m going to get us out,” May told Conservatives MPs during a meeting in Westminster.
May’s Conservatives unexpectedly lost their majority in parliament in Thursday’s snap vote, causing political chaos ahead of Brexit talks with the European Union set to start next week and prompting calls – from within her own party – for her resignation.
Today she faced members of the Conservatives’ 1922 Committee, which can trigger a vote of confidence in a party leader if it receives letters from 15% of the party’s MPs.
But one MP present at the meeting said there was no discussion of a leadership contest, adding “she’s won, she’s got to be prime minister”.
May vowed to stay on despite the poor results, and yesterday unveiled a largely unchanged new cabinet, which met for the first time today.
Foreign minister Boris Johnson, who was reported by British media to be lining up a leadership bid, insisted May should stay.
“The people of Britain have had a bellyful of promises and politicking,” he wrote in The Sun tabloid. “Now is the time for delivery – and Theresa May is the right person to continue that vital work.”
After the meeting he tweeted that May gave a “stonking performance”:
May’s party fell eight seats short of retaining its parliamentary majority, and is now in talks with the North’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) – which won 10 seats – to forge an informal alliance.
Deckchairs
Theresa May announced a new cabinet – with no changes among her top team – in an attempt to appear proactive in the wake of a defeat.
In a surprise move, Michael Gove was appointed environment and agriculture minister less than a year after the prime minister sacked him as justice minister.
After the opposition Labour party made hefty election gains by focusing heavily on national issues, May listed areas such as education and housing as top policy priorities.
Concern over DUP deal
DUP leader Arlene Foster said there had been “positive engagement” so far.
“We are going into these talks with the national interest at heart. The union as I’ve said before is our guiding star,” she said.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the government was not looking at a formal coalition but would seek assurances that the DUP would vote with May “on the big things”.
He stressed he did not share their ultra-conservative views on issues such as abortion and homosexuality, which have caused disquiet among many Conservatives.
The deal has also caused consternation here in Dublin, with Enda Kenny warning such an alliance could upset Northern Ireland’s fragile peace.
Lady in waiting
It’s expected that the British government will delay by “a few days” the presentation of its programme in parliament following its setback in the general election last week, the BBC reports.
The pageantry-filled ceremony, officially the State Opening of Parliament but more commonly known as the Queen’s Speech, is an outline of the government’s policy proposal read by Queen Elizabeth II.
It had been scheduled for 19 June and has been in the queen’s diary since April. It’s been reported that the Queen would attend the Royal Ascot the following week, but her plans could be delayed now.
There was some speculation that the delay was caused because the speech needed to be written on goat’s skin, but thankfully, that seems to have been disproved.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May refused to confirm the date at a daily briefing, saying only that there would be a statement regarding the Queen’s Speech “in due course”.
The spokesman added that any update would come from Andrea Leadsom, the government’s new representative in the House of Commons.
What’s causing all the fuss?
Conservative leader May lost her parliamentary majority in the election, and ministers have said the government will have to jettison key parts of its manifesto ahead of the Queen’s Speech.
May is trying to strike a deal with Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to have the support of its 10 MPs in parliament.
The speech is normally followed by days of debate and then a vote on the government’s programme, which would in effect be a vote of confidence in the government.
We are working with the DUP in order to reach a deal that will allow the safe passage of the Queen’s Speech.
The State Opening involves the queen reading out the government’s policy plans from a calfskin parchment in an annual tradition dating back to the Middle Ages.
The monarch is clad in white and usually arrives in a gilded carriage with dozens of horsemen to the sounds of the national anthem, ‘God Save The Queen’.
In a bizarre custom dating back to times of hostility between parliament and monarchy, an MP is “held hostage” at Buckingham Palace until she returns safely.
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My son was just telling me that one of his teammates who lost is part time job in March, just got 250 into his account today on top of the 203 he typically gets, and he’s soon due a Christmas bonus. When he was working his part time job in a petrol station job he used to bet no more than 150 euro. He is a 21 year old who is more than fit enough to find himself another part time job but instead he’s sat at home profiting big time. I’m by no means against the unemployment payment and I thinks it’s been critical to those who need it, but it’s scary to think how many others out there are doing the same as the lad I mentioned above.
@Michael Fielding: I’m not sure there are many other part time jobs that he could get at the moment but I get your point in that he has no incentive to even try look for one. Imagine how it would be if Sinn Fein got their way and everyone was on a minimum PUP of €350+ a week!
@Michael Fielding: I agree it’s far too broad but for every person like that lad who is getting ‘too much’ there are 100s who need this to get by and it is still a lot less than some were making. I would guess/hope that they considered it more expensive to look at it case by case than just paying standard 350 across the board.
@Michael Fielding: we are screwed, live in a hand out state
@DK: I can’t speak on behalf of the whole country, but there’s plenty available here in Cork. My son works part time in a dunnes stores and he said they can’t hire enough people coming into Christmas, and I’d hazard a guess that’s the case for most of their busy branches. Places like Musgraves etc are always actively taking on too. The opening of the restaurants and pubs will most likely open up some waiting and bartending opportunities, similarly with the opening of gyms and leisure centers. If he really wanted one I’d be confident he got could get one, but what incentive does he have to do so when he’s getting just as much, if not more, sitting at home?
@Michael Fielding: that’s lie. Petrol station remained opened so he wouldnt got PUP.
@DK: I’d beg to differ on that one! I’ve been trying to fill a number of positions over the past 6 weeks and the level of applicants is appalling, knowing the sheer number of people on layoff in my industry. I’ve also had great difficulty getting people to come back to work. All taking great advantage of the PUP. I fully support it for those in need, but it’s being abused.
They failed to pay me for my first 3 weeks. Today, they only paid me one of those weeks (the 1st week), leaving me still short of 2 full weeks of arrears. Completely incompetent.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: I’m owed a few weeks but will sit it out as I’d imagine they are kind of busy.
@Paul Furey: If they made the payment, they could have saved themselves from making extra work for themselves by paying it all. They paid me for my first week of arrears, but not the 2nd or 3rd. They literally just made things busier for themselves as now I WILL be contacting them daily until it’s rectified.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: had to sign on twice. First I was completely without work took one week to get sorted. Got that week’s arrears. Second time I was reduced to part time and it took 3 weeks to get sorted, didn’t get any of that.
@Paul Furey: bear in mind, the longer you leave it and the closer to 2021 it gets, the less likely you are to receive your payment.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: I’m due 3 weeks payments in total and haven’t got any today. Hopefully will get it in next week or week after. I’m behind on bills due to missed payments and now getting the debt collectors letters from gas and electricity. With a baby due any day is just so stressful.
@Sam Glynn: I spoke with DSP today, and they said that today was the only day arrears were being paid. If you didn’t get it today, you’re not getting it at all. Sorry, Sam.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: it seems the report on the news suggests different to what I just wrote. Not sure why the DSP agent told me otherwise.
Meanwhile spare a thought for the hardworking student nurses who worked hard throughout this pandemic. They got a clap from the public but not a cent for their efforts. This is positively shameful
I have to say when I got it , I applied on the Wednesday and got my first payment on the Tuesday , that was during the first lockdown. It really was a lifesaver. I was on it six weeks
Thanks Leo
I think it’s disgraceful. All the health are workers got was a ’round of applause’. They worked over & above, through their annual leave, sacrificed seeing their families so that other families could be taken care of. The very least the Minister for Health could offer them is to pay their annual retention fee to the NMBI of €100 per nurse. They certainly deserve that much.
that’s very generous of the government, so a lady with a children today would get 700 euro and 280 child allowance, and another 700 double week next week. Super stimulus for Christmas. Well done government giving back to those who need it.
@Padraig Carey: and nothing for student nurses who worked so hard throughout this pandemic. Why are we not challenging our government on their behalf
Everyone moans about what others are getting and legally entitled to. Very significant numbers of these moaners would take the moaney money and we would never hear a word about it.
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