The Rest Is Politics: Leading 39. Theresa May: Donald Trump, David Cameron, and ‘Brexit means Brexit’ (Part 2)
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Oct 8, 2023 Theresa May discusses her preference of Gordon Brown over Tony Blair, regrets over Brexit, and the aftermath of the Salisbury poisoning. They also talk about the rhetoric of Brexit, Trump's view of women, and aligning UK foreign policy with the US. Other topics include the challenges of making public statements, responding to demand for information, assessing prime ministers, and Theresa May's legacy and concerns.
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Brexit Was A Mandate To Deliver Practical Compromise
- Theresa May framed "Brexit means Brexit" to signal she would implement the referendum result despite personally voting Remain.
- She saw Brexit as a mandate from a 52–48 vote and believed delivering it required bringing both Leavers and Remainers together around a practical deal.
Parliament Polarised Between Maximalist Brexits And Remain
- May describes the polarization inside Parliament where hard Brexiteers demanded the toughest exit while Remainers wanted no Brexit, stalling centre-ground compromise.
- She says this prevented focus on designing the UK's best future relationship with the EU, rather than negotiating concessions.
Confidence And Supply With The DUP Was A Stability Measure
- May defends the confidence-and-supply deal with the DUP as necessary for parliamentary stability after losing the 2017 majority.
- She notes the DUP's internal discipline meant they were driven by their most extreme members and that numbers left them politically decisive on Northern Ireland issues.