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UK’s Theresa May Survives No-Confidence Vote; Brexit Due Date Approaches

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British Prime Minister Theresa May survived a no-confidence vote to retain her job and prevent another leadership challenge for a year.

Conservatives in the House of Commons voted 200 to 117 Thursday.

In a closed meeting with Conservative lawmakers before the vote began, May said she would step down as Britain’s leader before the anticipated 2022 election, a move that might have helped win over some lawmakers who were undecided going into the secret ballot. May’s announcement not to seek re-election was confirmed by Cabinet Minister Amber Rudd and Conservative lawmakers Alec Shelbrooke and Robert Buckland.

Ian Lavery, chair of the main opposition Labor Party, said in a statement that “May’s weakness and failure has completely immobilized the government at this critical time for the country.”

It remains unclear if the vote will help her win badly needed support of the Brexit deal she has been negotiating.

Britain is due to exit the EU on March 29, 2019, as a result of the 2016 referendum. The two sides worked out an agreement on the divorce terms after lengthy negotiations, but it must be approved by Britain’s parliament. Earlier this week, May canceled a planned vote, during which it seemed certain to fail.

May has subsequently been trying to save the agreement through talks with European leaders. But EU officials have been firm about their lack of desire to renegotiate the terms.

EU Council President Donald Tusk said after what he called a “long and frank discussion” with May on Tuesday that it is clear the other EU members want to help resolve the situation, but that “the question is, how?”

Tusk has called a meeting of EU leaders to discuss Brexit on Thursday, including the possibility that March 29 will come with no agreement in place.

 

May postponed a House of Commons vote Monday on her Brexit agreement, which took months of negotiations with Brussels to conclude.

If the vote went forward, lawmakers were set to reject the withdrawal agreement. Defeat would force May out of Downing Street and possibly trigger the fall of the Conservative government.

Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn dubbed the postponement a humiliation. He said the government had “lost control of events.” He told the House of Commons the prime minister should make way for a new government. “The government is in disarray… and people are in a state of despair.” Opposition leaders were reportedly discussing tabling either a motion of no confidence in the government or one censuring the prime minister. (VOA)

 

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