Beleaguered British Prime Minister Theresa May is appointing new members of her government after several of them lost their seats in Parliament in this week’s general election that proved disastrous for her Conservative Party.
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Laois TD Charlie Flanagan’s been reacting to the results of the UK’s General Election, in which the Conservatives lost their majority.
May said she would form a new government with help from her “friends” in the DUP after an election debacle in which she unexpectedly lost her majority, days before talks on Britain’s departure from the European Union are due to begin.
The party have actually wanted this to happen since the last election.
Reacting to the result, European Council president Donald Tusk said there was now “no time to lose” over Brexit, while the European Parliament’s chief negotiator Guy Verhofstadt said it was an “own goal” and made negotiations more “complicated”.
Mrs May would be able to pass this crucial figure with the support of the DUP but the Ulster party will demand significant concessions in return for propping up her adminstration.
“As we are the party that won most seats and most votes, we are the only party that is in a position to form a government that can do that”.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called on the Prime Minister to resign, saying she should “go and make way for a government that is truly representative of this country”.
Therefore, despite the startling gains that Labour made in places like Darlington and Kensington, and what seems to be a clear rejection of May’s harsh austerity programme and proposal of hard Brexit, it seems as though May will still be leading a Tory minority government propped up by the DUP through a confidence and supply arrangement, with the 328 seats that they hold between them.
The British pound is trading sharply lower against the dollar Friday after voters in the United Kingdom delivered a stunning setback to Prime Minister Theresa May. However, with almost all votes counted, the Conservatives are on 315 seats, short of the 326 mark that ensures a majority.
Among Tory MPs there was fury at the way a 20-point opinion poll lead at the start of the campaign had been thrown away in an election which she did not need to call for another three years.
And with the European Union divorce looming she will have to convince both Remainers and Brexiteers that she can secure a good deal for the country. “Can’t see how that’s helpful for the pound even if we are somewhat braced for a close outcome”.
With 619 out of 650 constituencies declared, a Press Association forecast predicted that Tories would end up with 320 seats – 10 fewer than when the election was called and six short of an absolute majority.
The deadline for this is when the new Parliament meets for the first time next Tuesday, where Mrs May’s government will face a vote of confidence.
With almost all votes counted, the Conservative Party has 318 seats, according to the BBC.
“At such a critical time, the Prime Minister must be clear with the people about the deal she has stitched up with the DUP behind closed doors”.
Others noted that the party now was one of the most socially conservative in Europe, having sought to maintain some of the continent’s strictest restrictions on abortion and consistently opposed gay marriage.
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Prior to June 8, the leader of the Scottish National Party, Nicola Sturgeon was pushing hard for a second referendum, after losing the 2014 independence vote.
