Smiling Theresa May warns new PM faces Brexit fight with warring MPs if they want to get a deal
THERESA May today washed her hands of Brexit – warning it’s the next PM who’ll have to sort it out.
Arriving for a Brussels summit, the lame duck Prime Minister insisted it’s no longer her responsibility to sort how we leave the EU.
But she warned her successor might find it no easier than she did to push a deal through Parliament thanks to squabbling MPs.
Arriving at the European Council in Brussels this evening, Mrs May said: “It’s a matter of great regret to me that I haven’t been able to deliver Brexit.
“Of course that’s a matter for my successor and they will have to find a way of addressing the very strongly held views on both sides of this issue and to get a majority in Parliament.
“As I said on Friday, that will require compromise.”
Asked if she is alarmed that Tory leadership contenders back a No Deal Brexit, the PM said: “I’ve always taken the view that the best option for the UK is to leave the EU with a deal.
“I’m not going to comment on the views of individual candidates.”
They will have to find a way of addressing the very strongly held views on both sides of this issue and to get a majority in Parliament
Theresa May
And she insisted that the Euro election result on Sunday night shows that if Brexit doesn’t happen both main parties will be in serious trouble.
Mrs May said: “Of course the European elections were deeply disappointing for my party.
“But the Labour party also saw significant losses and I think what it shows is the importance of actually delivering on Brexit.
“I hope that those election results will focus Parliament on the need to deliver Brexit.”
The PM will kickstart the leadership election next Friday when she formally steps down as Conservative leader.
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But she will continue as interim Prime Minister until her successor is in place at the end of July.
Tonight Mrs May meets other European leaders at a Brussels dinner – but they won’t discuss Brexit.
The heads of government are set to have a huge row over who should replace Jean-Claude Juncker at the head of the EU’s bureaucracy.
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