Vowing not to give up, Britain's May tries to stamp authority on party

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Vowing not to give up, Britain's May tries to stamp authority on party

 

FILE PHOTO: Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves after visiting a home near the Conservative Party's conference in Manchester, October 2, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/File Photo

 

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May will tell her Conservative Party on Wednesday it is not her style "to give up and turn away" when things get hard, trying to persuade critics that she can lead Britain and complete difficult Brexit negotiations.

 

In the closing speech of her party's annual conference that was overshadowed by splits in her top team of ministers and recriminations after a botched June election, May will try to take charge and reset an agenda dominated by the complex talks to leave the European Union.

 

Weakened by the June election when she lost the Conservatives' parliamentary majority, May has come under pressure from members of her party, most notably her foreign minister Boris Johnson who has set out his own Brexit plan.

 

Calling on the party to concentrate on voters instead of its internal disputes, May will say she was in politics "to make a difference. To change things for the better. To hand on to the next generation a country that is stronger, fairer and more prosperous".

 

"None of this will be easy. There will be obstacles and barriers along the way. But it has never been my style to hide from a challenge, to shrink from a task, to retreat in the face of difficulty, to give up and turn away," she will say, according to excerpts of the speech.

 

Her address could be make or break for the prime minister, whose attempt to present a united front at the conference has been undermined by Johnson, a possible leadership contender who received rousing applause for his speech on Tuesday.

 

May must also contend with a resurgent opposition Labour Party which accuses the government of mismanaging the economy and worsening social divisions. She and her ministers have sought to depict the Labour leadership as dangerous Marxists.

 

One senior Conservative said May must show "personality, vision and confidence" in her speech and offer "delegates hungry for ideas" something new.

 

The excerpts offered little insight into the main themes of the speech after a conference short of new major policy announcements. But from the words offered, she seemed to want to reassert her authority.

 

"Let us shape up and give the country the government it needs," she will say.

 

"For beyond this hall, beyond the gossip pages of the newspapers, and beyond the streets, corridors and meeting rooms of Westminster, life continues – the daily lives of ordinary working people go on. And they must be our focus today."

 

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Gareth Jones)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-04

[eliotness]

The Tories have a track record of knifing their leaders in the back if they feel their grip on power is at risk. May may be gone by May next year !!!

[puck2]

Yes, a blonde-haired chameleon is waiting ......  now going to eat boiled crow.

[robertson468]

I think a better replacement for May would be Ruth Davidson, the current Conservative Leader in Scotland.  She appears to be a strong leader who will stand no nonesense.  She has already told the Scottish Conservatives that if they intend to make problems over Brexit, then go find another job!  I think she would also not be averse to giving Boris a good slapping if he gets beyond himself, she woud also be less like a stand-up comedian/comedien, as Boris is often portrayed.  The EU and other World Leaders I believe would take her far more seriously than "Boy Wonder".

[dunroaming]

3 hours ago, robertson468 said:

I think a better replacement for May would be Ruth Davidson, the current Conservative Leader in Scotland.  She appears to be a strong leader who will stand no nonesense.  She has already told the Scottish Conservatives that if they intend to make problems over Brexit, then go find another job!  I think she would also not be averse to giving Boris a good slapping if he gets beyond himself, she woud also be less like a stand-up comedian/comedien, as Boris is often portrayed.  The EU and other World Leaders I believe would take her far more seriously than "Boy Wonder".

 

I agree that Davidson would be better than the current shower but she has said that she isn't interested in the job.  Apart from that she isn't in the inner circle and would be unlikely to be able to get a foothold in there.

 

I think that for May to survive she needs to come up with something radical in her speech today.  If she just continues to bluster and side step and not address the current chaotic situation head on then I think she will be gone sooner rather than later.

[Baerboxer]

"One senior Conservative said May must show "personality, vision and confidence" in her speech and offer "delegates hungry for ideas" something new."

 

That's shot that one then!

[Baerboxer]

4 hours ago, robertson468 said:

I think a better replacement for May would be Ruth Davidson, the current Conservative Leader in Scotland.  She appears to be a strong leader who will stand no nonesense.  She has already told the Scottish Conservatives that if they intend to make problems over Brexit, then go find another job!  I think she would also not be averse to giving Boris a good slapping if he gets beyond himself, she woud also be less like a stand-up comedian/comedien, as Boris is often portrayed.  The EU and other World Leaders I believe would take her far more seriously than "Boy Wonder".

 

You could well be right based on current performance.

 

Not taking anything away from Ms Davidson but she won't be overwhelmed by the competition!

[dunroaming]

Oh dear Theresa.  I actually felt really sorry for her.  The speech was an honest try at rallying the troops but it was very hollow.  The prank with the E45 was quite pathetic but will be the talking point over everything she said.  The only things of any note were that the government were going to cap energy charges (which was ridiculed when Miliband suggested it) and the pledge to build more social housing (Maggie would be turning in her grave).

 

The PM coughed her way through to the very end and I think that took determination and guts.  It did rather smack of that scene in The Devils Advocate and you have to wonder if Boris has connections with you know who!

 

It ended with May almost breaking down and there were tears.  Her husband was quickly at her side but her exit was decidedly quicker than it should have been.  I think Theresa needs to step aside, it is obviously too much for her.  I genuinely feel for her and want the agony to end.

[Briggsy]

Theresa May should just resign. Martin Amis described her style as "weak, expedient and limping along the line of least resistance." I think that was quite an accurate description.

[dunroaming]

You have to put the speech distractions to one side and concentrate on what the gist of the speech said. And that was very little.  She side stepped Brexit which has been the elephant in the conference and what people needed to know about.  She tried to appease those voters who were leaning towards Corbyn's Labour Party by pledging to build more social housing and then threw in Milibands idea of capping the energy charges.

 

Clearly there is a crisis in the party.  The question is, does that mean the problem is May or the whole party.  I fear it is the whole party and more specifically their handling of Brexit.  And the answer?