UK PRIME MINISTER Theresa May apologised to local councillors within the conservative party who lost their seats in the local elections and called on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to do a deal on Brexit.
The Conservative party lost over 1,300 councillors in Thursday’s local elections, while the Labour party lost 83 seats, some in areas where it had a long history of support.
In an open letter published today in the UK’s Mail on Sunday, May made a fresh call for Corbyn to help her push the proposed withdrawal deal over the line.
“The electorate delivered a message on Brexit to Labour, too. Labour also lost seats and councils which it has held for decades,” she said.
“Clearly, the public is fed up with the failure of both of the two main parties to find a way to honour the result of the referendum, take the United Kingdom out of the European Union and to bring our country back together again.”
May said she has tried to secure the backing of her own party members and he DUP, who are part of the government’s confidence-and-supply agreement but that she “could not persuade enough of my colleagues to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement”.
“Regrettably, I have to accept there is no sign of that position changing,” she said.
The withdrawal deal which was negotiated by May with Europe was shot down on three occasions in the House of Commons – the latest by a majority of 58.
“We don’t agree with the opposition on lots of policy issues, but on Brexit there are areas we do agree on – leaving with a good deal that protects jobs and our security and ends free movement.
“To MPs, I would say this: if we are able to negotiate a cross-party agreement, this deal will be a stepping stone to a brighter future, outside the EU, where the UK can determine the road ahead.
“And to the Leader of the opposition, I say this: let’s listen to what the voters said in the local elections and put our differences aside for a moment. Let’s do a deal.”
Talks between the two parties are to resume on Tuesday as May hopes Labour MPs will back her deal after failing to get enough of her own party’s MPs on board.
I’m Sorry
The prime minister apologised for the historic loss for local councillors in Thursday’s UK local elections.
“In the local elections, many Conservative councillors lost their seats,” she said.
“They did not deserve what happened and I am sorry.
“I want to thank all of my colleagues for their tremendous hard work and dedication to public duty, and for all they did to improve the lives of the communities which they served.
“I have been a councillor and I know what a rewarding and important job it is.”
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