I hope Theresa May got more than just approval from the Queen to form a new government. I hope she got a stern talking to as well…
NPR – After receiving formal permission from the monarchy, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May said she will try to forge a government after a snap-election gamble that cost her Conservative Party its parliamentary majority.
“I will now form a government,” May said in front of 10 Downing Street moments after speaking with Queen Elizabeth, “a government that can provide certainty and lead Britain forward at this critical time for our country.”
Noting the “crucial Brexit talks that begin in just 10 days,” May said the new government will work to fulfill the will of U.K. voters who decided to leave the European Union.
In the new government, May plans to ally with the small Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland, the BBC reports.
The New York Post reported earlier that the DUP was considering a coalition with the Tories:
Sky News reported that Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) would back her, allowing the Conservatives to reach the 326 seats needed for a parliamentary majority. The DUP declined to comment.
With 649 of 650 seats declared, the Conservatives had won 318 seats and Labour 261.
The DUP, which took 10 seats, was considering an arrangement which would involve it supporting a Conservative minority government on key votes in parliament but not forming a formal coalition, Sky said.
“If … the Conservative Party has won the most seats and probably the most votes then it will be incumbent on us to ensure that we have that period of stability and that is exactly what we will do,” a grim-faced May said after winning her own parliamentary seat of Maidenhead, near London.
But with complex talks on Britain’s divorce from the EU due to start in 10 days, it was unclear what their direction would now be and if the so-called “Hard Brexit” taking Britain out of a single market could still be pursued.
This whole thing is really amazing. The Tories were able to rule outright because they had won enough seats in the last election to do so. But Theresa May in her infinite wisdom has now ensured that the DUP will be a thorn in the side of the Tory coalition henceforth until the next elections.
And Theresa May has probably just guaranteed that she won’t win if she runs for reelection. Maybe she should call a snap election for Prime Minister just to see what happens! LOL!
In related news, the Tories are apparently fuming over all of this:
Senior Tory MP: "We all f***ing hate her. But there is nothing we can do. She has totally f***ed us".
— Robert Peston (@Peston) June 9, 2017