Articles by "Theresa May"
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Hello Jammu News at 6:18:00 PM 0


London, Jan 17 :  Embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May won a confidence vote on Wednesday and averted a general election, a day after her government suffered a historic parliamentary defeat over her Brexit divorce deal with the European Union. 

Her government won by 325 votes to 306 - a majority of 19. 

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn argued that May's "zombie" administration had lost the right to govern during a six hour debate on his motion.

His party has not ruled out tabling further no-confidence motions. 

After her victory, May told MPs that she would "continue to work to deliver on the solemn promise to the people of this country to deliver on the result of the referendum and leave the European Union".

She invited leaders of all parties to have individual meetings with her on the way ahead for Brexit, starting tonight, but called on them to approach them with a "constructive spirit".

"We must find solutions that are negotiable and command sufficient support in this House," she added.

May also reiterated a promise to return to the Commons on Monday to give MPs another vote on her plans.

"The House has put its confidence in this government," she said.

"I stand ready to work with any member of this House to deliver Brexit and ensure that this House retains the confidence of the British people." 

The Democratic Unionist Party, which props up May's minority government, also voted to keep her administration in power despite their strong opposition to the Brexit deal.



May's divorce deal to leave the EU was overwhelmingly rejected by MPs on Tuesday, triggering a no-confidence motion against her government and leaving the country with no plans for Brexit on March 29.

The PM's bid to get the Withdrawal Agreement, struck between London and Brussels, was rejected by 432 votes to 202 - a majority of 230, the biggest defeat ever suffered by a British premier in modern history. 

Within minutes after the defeat, the biggest for a sitting British government in history, opposition leader Corbyn's Labour party moved a motion of no-confidence against the May government to be held on Wednesday.

Britain is set to exit the 28-member European Union, which it joined in 1973, on March 29. With just over two months to go until the scheduled departure, Britain is still undecide on what to do. 

May, 62, has spent two years negotiating the divorce plan aimed at bringing about an orderly Brexit and setting up a 21- month transition period to negotiate a free-trade deal with Brussels.

Her deal included both the withdrawal agreement on the terms on which the UK leaves the EU and a political declaration for the future relationship.

May had survived a no-confidence vote by her own Conservative Party in December.                PTI
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Hello Jammu News at 12:43:00 PM 0

London, Jul 18: British Prime Minister Theresa May narrowly survived another crunch Brexit vote in parliament, as she struggles to unify her divided party around her strategy for leaving the European Union.

The Conservative government yesterday defeated an amendment introduced by its own backbench MPs to a future trade policy bill which would have kept Britain in a customs union with the EU if it fails to agree a free trade deal.

If the amendment had passed it would have thrown May's Brexit strategy into disarray and increased pressure on the already beleaguered leader.

Government whips overcame the rebellion by a dozen Tory lawmakers -- reportedly issuing last-ditch threats it would prompt a no-confidence vote in the prime minister -- and scraped through by six votes, winning by 307 to 301.

It was bolstered by the support of four pro-Brexit opposition Labour Party MPs.

Ministers argued the amendment would put "massive restrictions" on its ability to forge "an independent trade policy" after Britain leaves the European Union next March.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox told parliament the government's future trade bill was "an important bill providing continuity and stability".

"It will be the confident first step that the UK takes in establishing itself as an independent trading nation," he added.

The government lost another, less crucial vote on another backbench amendment calling for future participation in the European medicines regulatory network. The entire trade bill passed by 31 votes and now moves to the House of Lords for further scrutiny before returning to the Commons for a final vote.

May is battling to unite her Conservative Party around her Brexit blueprint formally unveiled last week following months of cabinet infighting.

It would see Britain ask the European Union for a free trade area for goods through a "facilitated customs arrangement" alongside a "common rulebook".

Brexiteers believe that keeps Britain too close to the EU, while pro-Europeans think it fails to protect the country's dominant services sector, among other gripes. The backlash has seen the prime minister face persistent rumours Tory MPs are planning to topple her.

Two top pro-Brexit ministers, Boris Johnson and David Davis, quit in protest last week, while a string of junior walkouts have followed suit, including two more officials on Monday.

Yesterday was also the second day running May faced revolt from backbench Tory lawmakers, after they failed on Monday by three votes to enact changes to a crucial post-Brexit customs bill.

May averted defeat on the proposed legislation -- part of a series of bills overseeing Britain's withdrawal from the EU -- by bowing to pressure from hardline eurosceptics in her own party.

The move infuriated pro-European Conservatives, sowing the seeds for yesterday's unsuccessful rebellion.

"I started the week intending to support the prime minister. Yesterday changed that," MP Phillip Lee, who resigned as a junior minister over Brexit earlier this year, told lawmakers.

Despite this week's legislative successes, two former British prime ministers spoke out yesterday about the divisive impact of Brexit.

Describing the government's approach as "a total and complete mess", Tony Blair told AFP the only way out was to hold another referendum on the issue.

"Once this thing has been started by a referendum, it can frankly only be finished by a fresh vote," Blair said.

John Major, who lost power in 1997 after years of Conservative dissent over Europe, also backs a second poll and said positions were more "entrenched" today.

"Theresa May is in a more difficult position than I was," he told ITV News. "Facing more committed and hardline opponents -- and more of them -- than I had."

British voters in a June 2016 referendum chose to leave the European Union, and yesterday Britain's official Brexit campaign, Vote Leave, was fined and reported to the police for breaking spending rules -- another issue boosting calls for a second vote. (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 12:31:00 PM 0

London, Jul 13: British Prime Minister Theresa May's plan for Brexit would "probably kill" the prospects for a free trade deal with the United States, US President Donald Trump said in an interview for The Sun's Friday edition.

"If they do a deal like that, we would be dealing with the European Union instead of dealing with the UK, so it will probably kill the deal," said Trump, who began a four-day visit to Britain yesterday.

In extraordinary comments on British politics, Trump also said former foreign minister Boris Johnson, who resigned this week over the Brexit plan and is seen as a potential challenger to May, would make "a great prime minister".

He added that London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who authorised protesters to raise a giant balloon showing a nappy-wearing Trump next to the British parliament today, was doing a "terrible job" in fighting crime.

Trump told the tabloid, Britain's best-selling newspaper, that he would have gone about Brexit in a different way. "I would have done it much differently. I actually told Theresa May how to do it but she didn't agree, she didn't listen to me. She wanted to go a different route.

"I would actually say that she probably went the opposite way. And that is fine. She should negotiate the best way she knows how. But it is too bad what is going on."

Referring to the plan outlined yesterday in which Britain would aim to keep strong ties in trading of goods with the EU, he said: "The deal she is striking is a much different deal than the one the people voted on.

"It was not the deal that was in the referendum. I have just been hearing this over the last three days. I know they have had a lot of resignations. So a lot of people don't like it," he said.

May is facing a rebellion by Brexit hardliners over the proposals, including the resignation of Johnson and Brexit minister David Davis.

Asked about Johnson, Trump said: "I was very saddened to see he was leaving government and I hope he goes back in at some point. I think he is a great representative for your country." "I think he would be a great prime minister. I think he's got what it takes," he added.

Asked about Khan, a member of the opposition Labour Party, Trump was highly critical of the London mayor. "Take a look at the terrorism that is taking place. Look at what is going on in London. I think he has done a very bad job on terrorism.

"I think he has done a bad job on crime, if you look, all of the horrible things going on there, with all of the crime that is being brought in," he said.

Referring to planned protests today, Trump added: "I think he has not been hospitable to a government that is very important. Now he might not like the current president, but I represent the United States". (AFP)
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Hello Jammu News at 2:31:00 PM 0



LONDON, May 2: Senior British lawmakers that back Brexit have demanded that Prime Minister Theresa May drops a proposal for a customs partnership with the European Union once it leaves the bloc, the BBC reported on Wednesday.
A customs partnership is one of two proposed options that May's government has proposed on customs, and means Britain would continue to collect EU tariffs for goods which are headed for member states.
But a 30-page document passed to the BBC said the lawmakers customs partnership option would make it "impossible" to strike meaningful trade deals.
The BBC said that sources close May said she was "relaxed" about the ultimatum and was confident about reaching an agreement with senior ministers over a replacement for the current customs union. REUTERS
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Hello Jammu News at 5:33:00 PM 0


New Delhi/London, Apr 18: India and the UK on Wednesday discussed a wide range of issues which will take their bilateral relations to a newer height. 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed by the UK Prime Minister Theresa May after completing his bilateral visit to Sweden. 
Mr Modi’s visit to the UK holds importance in an effort to renew their ties after the Britain pulled out of European Union last year. 
“A warm welcome and a fire-side discussion! PM @narendramodi welcomed by @theresa_may @10DowningStreet. The two leaders had wide-ranging talks on redefining and infusing new energy into our bilateral engagement post-Brexit,” Raveesh Kumar, Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs said. 
The prime minister will also hold discussion with business tycoons and Indian community during his stay in the UK till April 19. 
The Prime Minister is on five-day visit to Sweden, the UK and Germany starting April 16. UNI
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Hello Jammu News at 3:27:00 PM 0


Brussels, Dec 8: Theresa May has arrived in Brussels following overnight talks on the issue of the Irish border, the BBC News reported on Friday.
The PM and Brexit Secretary David Davis are meeting European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and EU negotiator Michel Barnier.
Details of an agreement are expected to be set out at a joint news conference within the hour.
If the border question has been settled, talks can move on to the future of trade after Brexit.
Additional wording is understood to have been added to reassure the DUP, whose opposition on Monday led to talks breaking down.
The leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, Arlene Foster, said on Friday she was "pleased" to see changes which mean there is "no red line down the Irish sea".
A senior aide to Mr Juncker, Martin Selmayr, has tweeted a picture of white smoke - the traditional way of signalling that a new Pope has been chosen -- suggesting a deal may have been agreed.
The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg was told last night that there were "serious ideas" on the table that the different parties were broadly content with.
In the early hours of Friday, the prime minister's chief of staff, Gavin Barwell, tweeted: "Home for 3 hours sleep then back to work", without offering any further details.
All sides want progress on the issue ahead of a crucial summit next week, so talks can move on to the future relationship between the UK and the EU after Brexit.
What happens to the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has been among the key sticking points in Brexit negotiations.
On Monday, the DUP -- whose support the UK prime minister needs to win key votes in Westminster -- objected to draft plans drawn up by the UK and the EU.
They included aligning regulations in Northern Ireland with those in the Republic so as to avoid border checks.
The DUP insists it will not accept any agreement in which Northern Ireland was treated differently from the rest of the UK.
The Republic of Ireland, on the other hand, which is an EU member, wants a guarantee that there will be no hard border between it and Northern Ireland after Brexit.
The UK, which is due to leave the EU in March 2019, wants to open talks on a new free trade deal as soon as possible.
The EU will only agree to discuss this when it judges that enough progress has been made on the "separation issues" -- the "divorce bill", expat citizens' rights and the Northern Ireland border -- that have been the subject of negotiations so far.
So the UK is trying to settle the Northern Ireland border issue before EU leaders meet next week. UNI
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Hello Jammu News at 2:04:00 PM 0


London, Nov 4: British Prime Minister Theresa May is set to meet key EU figures for talks on Brexit which could determine whether the UK is able to move on to negotiations on trade, the BBC News reported on Monday.
According to a BBC report, deals were reached this weekend on the UK "divorce bill" and citizens' rights. But the UK border with Ireland remains an outstanding issue.
The PM will meet European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels, with Downing Street saying "plenty of discussions" lie ahead.
Katya Adler said there was an "upbeat mood" of "cautious optimism".
The timings of Mrs May's visit mark a deadline set by Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, for her to come forward with an improved offer on the terms of the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
The UK is hoping to start talks about a free trade agreement but the EU says it will only recommend this can take place when it deems "sufficient progress" has been made on the other issues.
The UK voted for Brexit last year and is due to leave in March 2019, but negotiations between the EU and the UK have not yet reached a breakthrough.
Mrs May will be accompanied by the Brexit Secretary David Davis for the discussions with Mr Juncker and Mr Tusk.
Downing Street has described the meeting as an "important staging post" on the route to the "crucial" summit with the other 27 leaders in the middle of the month when it hopes trade talks can begin. UNI 
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