SAN FRANCISCO, December 13, (THEWILL) – Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday survived a bid by her own MPs to unseat her, securing the support of 200 Conservative colleagues while 117 voted against her.
She won the confidence vote with a majority of 83, with 63% of Conservative lawmakers backing her and 37% voting against her.
The vote was triggered by 48 of her MPs angry at her Brexit policy, which they said betrays the 2016 referendum result.
Prominent Brexiter Jacob Rees-Mogg has reacted to the vote result by calling on the prime minister to resign.
May had responded to the no-confidence vote with a passion she reserves for when her back is against the wall, defending her Brexit deal and warning that ousting her could derail the whole process.
She said she had devoted herself “unsparingly” to delivering the 2016 vote to leave the European Union and was “ready to finish the job”.
But addressing colleagues ahead of the vote, she also acknowledged the weakness of her position, by telling them she would not fight the next scheduled election in 2022.
It was a rare chink in the armour of a prime minister praised by her supporters as resilient but accused by her critics of ploughing on oblivious to the changing circumstances around her.
And while she won the vote, the numbers against her — 117 out of a total of 317 MPs — will be deeply uncomfortable.
On his part, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Labour Party leader, issued a statement where he said despite the victory she recorded, she has lost majority in parliament.
“Tonight’s vote makes no difference to the lives of our people. The prime minister has lost her majority in Parliament, her government is in chaos and she is unable to deliver a Brexit deal that works for the country and puts jobs and the economy first,” he said.
“That’s why she pulled the vote on her botched Brexit deal this week and is trying to avoid bringing it back to Parliament. It’s clear that she has not been able to negotiate the necessary changes in Europe.
“She must now bring her dismal deal back to the House of Commons next week so Parliament can take back control.
“Labour is ready to govern for the whole country and deliver a deal that protects living standards and workers’ rights.”
The prime minister still faces a battle to get the Brexit deal she agreed with the EU through the UK parliament.
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