LONDON: Isolated British Prime Minister Theresa May once again proved her stoicism by battling on in the face of humiliating defeat for her Brexit deal, but she is running out of allies in her epic political struggle.
Moments later, she vowed to limp on and fight a parliamentary no-confidence vote, scheduled for Wednesday at 1900 GMT.Despite carrot-and-stick attempts to cajole her colleagues to back her, she was on Tuesday once again forced into a making a chastening address after her humiliating defeat.
- ‘Difficult woman’ -
May took over after her predecessor David Cameron quit following the shock vote for Brexit in June 2016, winning by default after her rivals fought among themselves or withdrew.
She had campaigned to stay in the EU, but has repeatedly stressed the importance of implementing the verdict.
‘Goody two shoes’
May, 62, described herself in a 2012 interview as a “goody two shoes” whose Protestant faith defined her upbringing.
May studied geography at the University of Oxford, where she met her husband Philip, who became a banker, after reportedly being introduced by future Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto.
The couple never had children and May devoted herself to a life of public service that saw her become Conservative Party chairwoman in 2002.
‘Humiliated’: Media react: Britain is in “uncharted waters” after Prime Minister Theresa May was “humiliated” by the “crushing defeat” of her Brexit deal in parliament, according to scathing reactions in the British and world press on Wednesday. Here are some of the responses:
‘BREXTINCT’— “May’s Brexit deal dead as a dodo”, Britain’s biggest-selling newspaper The Sun said, with a mock-up picture of the PM as the extinct flightless bird, under the front page headline “Brextinct”. The Daily Telegraph’s front page read: “A complete humiliation”. Times columnist Matthew Parris branded May “a zombie prime minister”. The Daily Mirror’s front page said: “No deal, no hope, no clue, no confidence.” The Daily Mail tabloid said May was “fighting for her life”. “Now it’s time for MPs to do their duty and work with Theresa May for a deal that satisfies the 17.4m who voted for Brexit... Don’t fail us!” the Daily Express said under the headline “Dismay”. “May suffers historic defeat as Tories turn against her,” said The Guardian’s front page.