Theresa May Will Resign After Brexit Passes
British Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed today that she would put “national interest ahead of personal” after her Brexit deal is delivered. May has made the decision to sacrifice herself in order to get her deal through the U.K. parliament.
CNN is reporting that many are calling May’s words to her party a “commanding brave speech,” praising her bravery in doing what is necessary to take her government out of limbo. Suggestions have been made about what could convince those not sold on Brexit to make the leap and vote “yes,” and it was implied that some of the “softer Brexiteers” might go for May’s head on a platter if they got the exit from the European Union through.
But May is now publicly confirming that she will step down and let someone else lead the next phase of Brexit if the official — twice defeated — withdrawal agreement is passed. But even offering up her resignation does not make passing the agreement a done deal, as she needs to flip 75 members of Parliament to recover from her last defeat.
In her speech, May pledges that she will get out of the way for the next phase of Brexit.
“I know there is a desire for a new approach – and new leadership – in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations – and I won’t stand in the way of that.”
“I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party" – UK PM Theresa May confirms she will quit if her #Brexit deal is passedhttps://t.co/Y8RyOLP74J pic.twitter.com/3Qslw9A2I1
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) March 27, 2019
A source close to May says that the prime minister has determined that if leaving her post is the cost of delivering Brexit, then she’s willing to do that.
“She has always put the national interest above her personal interest. If this is the price to be paid for delivering Brexit, it’s a price she’s prepared to pay.”
Conservative MP Simon Hart responded to May’s speech, saying that although no timetable was given, the prime minister has said that if parliament will back the next phase, “then she will go.” In her speech, Hart said May was firm with her offer to the party.
“She was as animated as I’d ever seen her at committee. She was passionate but not emotional. We are all traumatized at this point by these negotiations.”
But not everyone thinks that voting for Brexit in order to get May to leave is the way to go. MP Anna Soubry — who recently left the party to join a new bloc known as the Independent Group — says that it’s shameful that people would vote for these newly offered conditions of May’s exit, “not because it’s good for our country and the right thing to do… but because it gets rid of the PM.”
