Thursday, November 09, 2017
Theresa May teeters on the brink
Yesterday saw one of the more bizarre episodes in modern politics as journalists tracked the International Secretary's plane in real time, all the way from Uganda to the UK on social media and then followed her ministerial car from a camera on a helicopter as it travelled back to Westminster from the airport. It was the event of the day and took journalistic stalking to a new level.
The summoning of a minister back from an overseas trip so she can be handed her resignation letter is in itself unprecedented. The media attention that surrounded that journey turned it into a Monty Pythonesque circus.
The loss of two cabinet members within a week, with another one under pressure to go because of an unforgiveable gaffe and a fourth under investigation has put tremendous position on Theresa May's already precarious position. It is little wonder that metaphorical knives are being sharpened all around her.
The Independent reports that the Prime Minister faces a “make-or-break” month with Tories giving her until Christmas to turn things around. One minister told the paper that the loss of her ministers does not in itself pose a terminal threat to May’s Government, but argued that the direction of travel had to change. S/he believes that there is cumulative effect and there is a danger that May could be perceived as having lost control of events.
The paper adds that the Prime Minister's authority will be under intense scrutiny as she handles difficulties faced by other ministers. They add that she cannot be seen to be letting ministers get away with mistakes or misdemeanours, but can ill-afford to further destabilise her administration by sacking more of her cabinet.
It is a difficult tightrope to walk not least because the Brexit talks continue to stall due to the government's own cluelessness and with the impossible job facing May of balancing her cabinet to reflect an increasingly divided Tory Party adding to her problems.
Her one salvation is the incompetence of the main opposition party, who seem determined to prop up her Brexit strategy no matter how disastrous it proves to be.
The summoning of a minister back from an overseas trip so she can be handed her resignation letter is in itself unprecedented. The media attention that surrounded that journey turned it into a Monty Pythonesque circus.
The loss of two cabinet members within a week, with another one under pressure to go because of an unforgiveable gaffe and a fourth under investigation has put tremendous position on Theresa May's already precarious position. It is little wonder that metaphorical knives are being sharpened all around her.
The Independent reports that the Prime Minister faces a “make-or-break” month with Tories giving her until Christmas to turn things around. One minister told the paper that the loss of her ministers does not in itself pose a terminal threat to May’s Government, but argued that the direction of travel had to change. S/he believes that there is cumulative effect and there is a danger that May could be perceived as having lost control of events.
The paper adds that the Prime Minister's authority will be under intense scrutiny as she handles difficulties faced by other ministers. They add that she cannot be seen to be letting ministers get away with mistakes or misdemeanours, but can ill-afford to further destabilise her administration by sacking more of her cabinet.
It is a difficult tightrope to walk not least because the Brexit talks continue to stall due to the government's own cluelessness and with the impossible job facing May of balancing her cabinet to reflect an increasingly divided Tory Party adding to her problems.
Her one salvation is the incompetence of the main opposition party, who seem determined to prop up her Brexit strategy no matter how disastrous it proves to be.
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Corbyn is waiting for disaster so he can have his socialist dream. If that happens it does not mean everything will be beautiful in the garden of Eden just another load of chaos.
It seems a bit frustrating that we have to wait until Christmas - for nothing. The handling of Brexit of this government is highly questionable as there are not results so far apart from a disastrous hard exit that will hit the majority of the welsh people quite hard. Estimated over £900 loss per for every household is something the most people cannot effort. I think in the end it could be wise to make an exit from Brexit.
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