May, under pressure, asks her party to unite around Brexit

BIRMINGHAM, UK (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday called on her conservative party to unite and unite behind her exit plan from the European Union, saying "if we let's keep the courage ", she could win a Brittany agreement.

On the last day of her party's conference, May rallied its members to address their concerns that the Conservatives are less and less led by Brexit, asking them to look to a brighter future.

Dancing on the Birmingham City scene and cheered in front of her, ABBA's "Queen Dancer", May is mocked for herself after her dance steps were mocked at the time of her birthday. A trip to Africa and after the conference last year when his speech had been disturbed by a coughing crisis. , a stage intruder and a disintegrating decor.

It was a warm welcome for a leader, whose fragile position was put under additional pressure after the EU rejected parts of her so-called Checkers plan and as critics asked her to rethink her strategy for Brexit, Britain's biggest change in trade and foreign policy. for more than 40 years.

But just six months before Britain leaves the bloc, it has already weathered the Brexit storm by getting rid of the speech of its former foreign minister, Boris Johnson, who has not hidden his ambitions of leadership.

"If we all go in different directions in search of our own vision of the perfect Brexit, we risk not having a Brexit at all," she said in a nod to the Eurosceptic legislators who published their alternative plan of exit from the EU. .

And that's another reason why we need to come together. We are entering the most difficult part of the negotiations … What we are proposing is very ambitious for the EU. But if we stay united and keep our cool, I know we can get an agreement that meets the expectations of Britain. "

She also tried to expand her national agenda by attacking the main opposition Labor Party, claiming that their policies, including the renationalization of mail, railways and public services, would mean an increase in taxes and a loss of income.

Union leader Jeremy Corbyn, she said, would "outsource our conscience to the Kremlin".

His remarks aimed to appease the growing frustration of some conservatives who openly asserted that their party had no leadership, unable to set a program against splits of division around the Brexit between rival wings of the party.

DIVISIONS

The pressure on her in the party was highlighted less than an hour before her speech. Conservative legislator James Duddridge said he sent a letter to the party's so-called 1922 committee, asking him to resign. Forty-eight legislators would need to write such letters to elicit a vote of confidence in the leader.

"It turns out that there is a plan. This plan is Boris, "wrote Duddridge on Twitter after Boris Johnson's speech on Tuesday.

But in this speech, Johnson seemed to be struggling, supporting May for now, while calling for the party to return to its traditional values ​​and "chuck checkers" as a sign of its leadership ambitions.

Turning a blow to Johnson, May said she was making decisions on "Brexit" in "the national interest," insisting that the alternative proposals of her former secretary of foreign affairs, Brexit , would tear the United Kingdom.

"It is not surprising that we have had a range of different points of view expressed this week," she said.

"But my job as prime minister is to do what I think is in the national interest. And that means two things. First, honor the result of the referendum … and secondly, look for good business and security relations with our neighbors after we leave. "

In the absence of agreement with the block on divorce or future relations, the last day of the conference marks the beginning of what some officials plan to be a frantic week of diplomacy between London and Brussels while the two parties are trying to reach an agreement. end more than 40 years of partnership.

May and her team face weeks of difficult conversations with Brussels to reach an agreement, but she also faces challenges from her own party and partners in parliament, the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland .

The DUP's leader, Arlene Foster, took advantage of the conference to outline her red lines for the Brexit, repeating that she would not accept a border between Northern Ireland and the rest. from the United Kingdom. "The red line is blood red," she told the BBC.

In her speech, May again adhered to her Checkers plan, named in honor of her country residence, where she reached an agreement on the proposals in July.

"This is our proposal. Take back control of our borders, our laws and our money. Good for jobs, good for the Union. He delivers the referendum, he keeps the confidence of the British people, "she said. "It's in the national interest."