Theresa May has ‘no intention of resigning,’ strikes deal with Democratic Unionists

Prime Minister Theresa May has no intention of resigning and has instead struck a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) of Northern Ireland.

The PM was humiliated in the UK general election, failing to secure a majority for her Conservative Party, leaving the country with a hung parliament.

The PM says she has no “intention of quitting.”

Reports indicate she has struck a confidence and supply arrangement with the ideologically similar DUP. They have 10 seats in the Commons. 

Spectator magazine journalist James Forysth reports Tory officials inside Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) attribute the devastating result to three issues: people are fed up with austerity, Brexit backlash and “Theresa May turned out not to be who the voters thought she was.”

Former Tory Chancellor George Osborne, who was sacked by Theresa May when she took office last year, said the result would be “completely catastrophic” for the party and the PM.

Pundits predict May will be forced to resign, making her one of the shortest serving prime ministers in history.

When May took the extraordinary step of calling a snap election in April, the Conservatives enjoyed a 24 point lead over Labour in the opinion polls.

At the time, the PM denied she was taking advantage of Labour’s weak standing in the polls and instead claimed she was seeking a larger mandate from the country in order enter Brexit negotiations with a strong hand.

Reaction to the polls came in fast, with a Labour spokesperson telling the Independent the result would be “extraordinary” if it played out and would punish the Tories for “taking the British people for granted.”

“If this poll turns out to be anywhere near accurate, it would be an extraordinary result.

“There’s never been such a turnaround in a course of a campaign … Labour has run a positive and honest campaign - we haven’t engaged in smears or personal attacks.”

Labour’s Shadow Defense Secretary Emily Thornberry called on May to resign.

Thornberry told Sky News: “I think she should go, because I think she has manifestly failed.”

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell told the BBC he thinks May’s position has become “untenable.”

Former shadow cabinet minister Clive Lewis was less diplomatic in his language, simply tweeting: “Whatever happens May is TOAST!”

Leave campaigners are concerned the hung parliament could put the brakes on Brexit.

UKIP leader Paul Nuttall, who has since resigned after failing to win any seats, tweeted: “If the exit poll is true then Theresa May has put Brexit in jeopardy. I said at the start this election was wrong. Hubris.”