LONDON – British Prime Minister Theresa May should set a date for herdeparture next week when she meets leaders of an influential group ofConservative lawmakers to address her future, the group’s chairman said onSaturday.
Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, which can make or break partyleaders, told BBC Radio that May had been asked to give “clarity” at nextWednesday’s meeting after she failed to get her Brexit deal throughparliament, leaving the government in a state of limbo.
“It would be strange for that not to result in a clear understanding (ofwhen she will leave) at the end of the meeting,” he said.May, who secured the leadership in the chaos that followed Britain’s 2016vote to leave the European Union, has promised to step down if lawmakersback the deal she struck with Brussels to leave the bloc.
But the prime minister has lost heavily on three attempts to get it throughparliament, defeated by lawmakers in her own party who want a much morecomprehensive break from Brussels and those who want a second referendum toreverse the process.
Brady, head of the group which oversees the party’s leadership contests andrepresents the wishes of backbench lawmakers, said he thought May had beenreluctant to set a date because of the impact it would have on any futureBrexit vote.
“I think the reticence is the concern that by promising to go on a certaintimetable, it might make it less likely she would secure parliamentaryapproval for the withdrawal agreement, rather than more likely,” he said.
Read Top Stories
Tensions within the Conservative Party have grown after May failed todeliver Brexit on the original deadline of March 29. The prime minister hassince opened talks with the opposition Labour Party to try to find acompromise before the next departure date in October.
The deadlock damaged both parties at local elections earlier this month andcould have a similar impact when elections are held for the EuropeanParliament on May 23.
One of the Conservative Party’s prominent financial backers, JeremyHosking, told the Financial Times he had donated 200,000 pounds to NigelFarage’s Brexit party because the European elections had become, bydefault, a second referendum on Brexit. -APP/AFP
