British PM May fights for survival ahead of Brexit talks

LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May was fighting for survival today after a failed election gamble undermined her authority and plunged the country into a major political crisis days before talks to leave the European Union start.
May’s bet that she could strengthen her hand by crushing what she believed to be a weak opposition Labour Party backfired spectacularly on Thursday as voters stripped her Conservative Party of a parliamentary majority.
The stunning outcome leaves May battling to unite different factions of her party and reliant on a handful of Northern Irish parliamentarians just nine days before Britain starts the tortuous process of negotiating its departure from the EU.
Britain’s typically pro-Conservative press savaged May and questioned whether she could remain in power only two months after officially triggering the country’s divorce from the European bloc.
Britain’s best-selling Sun newspaper said senior members of the party had vowed to get rid of May, but would wait at least six months because they were worried that a leadership contest could propel Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn into power.
(Reuters)