The Chamberlain News

Election 2017: May forms ‘new’ government

Theresa May has, effectively, been re-appointed as Prime Minister.

She will have to rely on the support of the Democratic Unionist Party and its 10 MPs. That will give her the slimmest of majorities.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed her commitment to leaving the European Union.

She pledged to build a country in which no one is left behind.

What the country needs more than anything is certainty. Only the Conservative and Unionist party can provide this, she says.

Now lets get to work.

It was a speech which seemed to have little connection with what has happened in the last 24 hours or the last month.

This afternoon, we can expect a new Cabinet to begin to be formed. That should be interesting.

But it seems incredible that such a Government and its arrangement can last, certainly not five years.

The arithmetic is too tight to see Government business through.

Not least, with the small matter of Brexit negotiations.

There are calls for some form of cross party working in order to start, at least, Brexit talks.

Whilst all we know so far is the votes cast, it seems possible that there has been a sizeable vote against so called ‘hard Brexit.’

Theresa May’s support from within her party already looks to be crumbling, even if MPs are not expecting an immediate resignation.

Keeping every Tory and DUP on side for all Government business, even coping with illness and other absences, for too long seems an improbable hope.

The alignment between the governing party and it’s Northern Irish counterparts will also be tricky. The DUP will have policy aims which do not even chime with their unionist counterparts.

We will return to focus on results closer to home later.

But two thoughts. What next for devolution? Even if Theresa May stays at Number 10, it’s unlikely she will be as helpful to Andy Street as he hoped upon his recent election. Will the new Government have the appetite or capacity for the next phase of devolution.

Finally, just what are the private thoughts of Nick Timothy (joint chief of staff to the PM) and David Davis (Brexit Secretary) who are believed to have been the loudest voices in Mrs May’s ear calling for an election.

Penny for the thoughts of Messrs Blair, Brown and Cameron.