Theresa May has remained defiant about her Brexit deal, despite the loss of key Cabinet members and a growing move towards a no confidence vote.
In a press conference inside 10 Downing Street, which was delayed for over 20 minutes for reasons that are not currently clear, Prime Minister Theresa May said: “I believe with every fibre of my being that the course I have set out is the right one for our country.”
Go deeper with GlobalData
“Serving in high office is an honour and privilege. It is also a heavy responsibility,” she said.
“My approach throughout has been to put the national interest first. Not a partisan interest and certainly not a political interest.”
She also addressed concerns over compromises in the deal.
“Yes difficult and sometimes uncomfortable decisions have to be made. But this deal delivers what people have voted for,” she said.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataHowever, when asked about her now highly weakened position, May largely dodged the issue of her continuing leadership, instead focusing on the work that needed to be done.
“Leadership is about taking the right decisions not the easy ones,” she said, before outlining the importance of bringing back a deal.
“Am I going to see this through? Yes.”
Theresa May press conference follows criticism from all sides
May has had an immensely challenging day. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab handed in his resignation this morning, followed an hour later by Esther McVey.
Addressing these resignations, May said: “They must do what they believe to be right,” adding that she did not blame them for having a different viewpoint on the Brexit deal.
May also defended the Brexit deal for three hours in Parliament this morning, although faced exceptionally tough opposition from many corners of the House.
Since then, scores of Conservative MPs have handed in letters of no-confidence in Theresa May to the 1922 committee, with numbers now reportedly close to the 48 required to trigger a parliamentary vote.
