As E.U. leaders gather in Brussels over Brexit, Britain's May says no to reelection

Source: The Washington Post


By Michael Birnbaum December 13 at 7:55 AM

BRUSSELS — British Prime Minister Theresa May said Thursday that she would not seek reelection as she headed to Brussels Thursday for a last-ditch effort to convince fellow E.U. leaders to soften the terms of Britain’s departure from the European Union.

Hours after she survived a challenge to her leadership from her own rebellious ranks, she told reporters in Brussels that she had agreed to stand down ahead of the 2022 elections as a condition for winning support now to oversee Britain’s departure from the European Union.

“In my heart I would love to be able to lead the Conservative Party into the next general election, but I think that it is right that the party feels that it would prefer to go into that with a new leader,” May said on her way into the summit in Brussels.

"My focus now is on ensuring that I can get those assurances that we need to get this deal over the line because I genuinely believe it’s in the best interest of both sides, the U.K. and the E.U., to get a deal over the line, to agree to a deal."

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/eu-leaders-gather-in-brussels-to-discuss-brexit-but-few-see-possible-concessions/2018/12/13/a7ad7158-fd5d-11e8-a17e-162b712e8fc2_story.html