May Pits Parliament against ‘Tired’ Public in New Plea to ‘Get On with’ Brexit
The UK leader has sought to convince the British public that she is “on their side” vis-a-vis the Parliament.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May has lashed out against the British Parliament for its indecisiveness on Brexit, pitting the MPs against the “tired” public in a late-night address after she asked the EU for a departure extension.
May spoke from her office at Downing Street, telling the public she was “on their side”, and blaming the Parliament for the looming Brexit delay, a mere 9 days before the originally set Brexit date of March 29, 2019.
Earlier on Wednesday, she sent a formal letter request to European Council President Donald Tusk that the EU agree to put off Brexit until June 30, 2019.
May resorted to asking the Union for a Brexit extension after last week the British MPs rejected her withdrawal deal for the second time, and then House of Commons Speaker John Bercow unexpectedly intervened to prevent a third vote on “substantially the same” motion.
EU leader Tusk has been quick to respond that he deems a “short” Brexit extension “possible” but only if the British Parliament finally approves the already negotiated Brexit deal.
“Of this I am absolutely sure. You, the public, have had enough,” British Prime Minister May said in her address on Wednesday night.
“You are tired of the infighting, tired of the political games and the arcane procedural rows, tired of MPs talking about nothing else but Brexit when you have real concerns about our children’s schools, our National Health Service, knife crime,” she elaborated.
“You want this stage of the Brexit process to be over and done with. I agree. I am on your side,” May told the British public.
She reiterated that it was “now time for MPs to decide” whether they wanted the UK to leave the EU with her deal or no deal. Or, alternatively, cancel Brexit altogether, which, in her words, would cause “irreparable damage to public trust” in politicians.
“So far Parliament has done everything possible to avoid making a choice. All MPs have been willing to say is what they do not want,” the British Prime Minister stated.
“You just want us to get on with it and that is what I am determined to do,” she concluded her statement addressing once again the British public directly.
May will travel to Brussels for a summit of EU leaders on Thursday and Friday where she is going to to discuss the requested Brexit extension with the EU 27 member states.
(Banner image: Video grab from Downing Street 10)
