‘Theresa May, resign’, British demonstrators say

This video from England says about itself:

Protesters stage anti-Theresa May demo at Downing Street, London, UK. A man holds a sign as dozens gather at Downing Street in London on June 9, 2017 to stage an anti-Theresa May demonstration. They demanded the prime minister resign.

By Steve Sweeney in Britain:

Protests pile pressure on beleaguered PM

Monday 12th June 2017

Britain demonstrates as Tories attempt to form DUP alliance

THERESA MAY faced further upheaval at the weekend as thousands of Brits across the country took to the streets calling on her to resign.
Events were held in towns and cities including London, Bristol and Cambridge to protest against plans to forge an alliance with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) which would prop up the Tories to keep them in government.

And an online petition opposing the Tory-DUP “confidence and supply” deal received an astonishing 500,000 signatures in its first 12 hours.

Pro-choice campaigners joined anti-austerity and anti-racist groups in calling for Ms May to stand down as Prime Minister following her dramatic losses in last week’s general election.

And they slammed the government for seeking a “coalition of chaos and hatred” deal with the DUP who campaigners claim are “homophobic, anti-abortion climate change deniers,” with alleged links to right-wing paramilitary organisations.

National event organiser Shabbir Lakha told crowds in Parliament Square: “Theresa May is trying to make an alliance with the most right-wing party in Parliament today.

“People who are the affiliates of terrorists. And they were smearing Jeremy Corbyn for being a terrorist sympathiser.

“But we’re not going to stand for it. Theresa May has got to go,” he blasted.

He said it was time to “bring the movement back to the streets” as he told those gathered: “We’re going to defend Jeremy Corbyn. We’re going to bring real change, the change people voted for.”

Stand Up to Racism spokesman Zak Cochrane said: “They told us that Jeremy Corbyn was unelectable, but he has just got the third biggest vote of any Labour leader ever. We have to ask why.”

Mr Cochrane slammed Theresa May for the “millions that are using foodbanks” and a programme of austerity.

And Amal Bider told those gathered: “I am a Muslim Eritrean sister — why wouldn’t I be politicised?” and explained that she supported Jeremy Corbyn because he offered the politics of hope with “people at the heart of his manifesto.”

She added: “The Tories have only made losses while Labour have made gains. This is a victory.”

People’s Assembly spokesman John Rees called for a major national demonstration to force Ms May and the Tories out of office.

Further protests have been called for this evening including a Downing Street demonstration gathering from 7pm.

THE TORY Party was in increasing disarray yesterday in the wake of the general election, with former Tory Chancellor, George Osborne, calling PM May ‘a dead woman walking’, while Labour Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell announced: ‘We’re preparing for government’: here.

[Labour] Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said: ‘We are in uncharted territory. All I’m telling you is that our manifesto is popular, our vision for Britain is right, they have no idea what they are doing, we are waiting in the wings, we will step in if we are required and if we are called upon to serve.’ She described Theresa May as ‘squatting in Downing Street’ and was asked: ‘In a month’s time, do you think Jeremy Corbyn could be in Number 10?’, replying: ‘Who knows, let’s see’: here.

Labour says Queen’s speech delay shows government ‘in chaos’: here.

Tory Party stuck with broken May as leader fear the mass movement driving Labour forward: here.

Theresa May tore up the controversial Tory manifesto last night as the price for Cabinet support for her leadership. Plans to scrap the triple lock on pensions, means-test the winter fuel allowance and repeal the foxhunting ban are set to be ditched in a ‘slimmed-down’ Queen’s Speech next week: here.

Theresa May wanted to ditch ‘strong and stable’ slogan during botched Tory election battle because it was making her look ‘stupid’: here.

Orange Order asks DUP to put Drumcree march on wishlist in May talks. Portadown lodge wants party to exploit its newfound influence with call for ban on parade down Garvaghy Road to be lifted: here.

The Tories are bartering with women’s bodies to keep power. It’s disgusting, by Suzanne Moore. The ‘sell’ of the DUP as a bit socially conservative is a lie.

Tom Watson asks May: did Murdoch request Gove’s return to cabinet? Labour deputy leader writes to PM to inquire whether media mogul was behind the former justice secretary’s appointment: here.

This video from London, England says about itself:

General Election 2017. Protest after hung parliament against Theresa May.

By Robert Stevens in Britain:

UK Prime Minister May seeks alliance with Democratic Unionist Party to forestall a second general election

12 June 2017

Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative government is seeking a “confidence and supply” agreement with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in an attempt to secure a majority following a disastrous showing in last week’s snap general election.

May called the election to secure a substantial increase to the Tories’ slim 17-seat majority, but lost 13 seats and ended with a hung parliament. Labour under Jeremy Corbyn won 40 percent of the vote, just 2 percent less than the Tories.

The Tories need the 10 DUP MPs from Northern Ireland to secure a majority, but there is no possibility of a coalition. The aim is rather to secure a pact with the DUP to support the government in motions of confidence and budget votes—a crisis-ridden regime ruling with a tiny majority over a population that widely despises them.

On Saturday, Downing Street issued a statement that an agreement in principle had been reached with the Democratic Unionists, but this was denied by the DUP, forcing the Tories to issue a clarification. May is to meet DUP leader Arlene Foster for talks on Tuesday.

The DUP is an ultra-right wing outfit. Attention in the UK media has largely focused on its opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage, while putting forward some populist polices aimed at reversing some austerity measures that would be at odds with the pro-austerity agenda outlined in May’s manifesto.

Of far greater significance is the DUP’s position as the main Unionist and Protestant party in the North and its ties to paramilitary groups.

The Tories’ desperate attempts to secure a majority threatens the eruption of conflict in Ireland, which ended in 1998 following the Good Friday Agreement reached by the then-Labour government and political parties in Northern Ireland, at that time with the exception of the DUP. The DUP only entered into the power-sharing Northern Ireland Assembly with the nationalist Sinn Fein in 2007, after it eclipsed the Ulster Unionist Party.

The creation of a Tory/DUP government tears up the very basis of the Agreement and whatever political stability was achieved via the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Agreement states that a British government must remain impartial in its dealings with all Northern Irish parties. This is impossible with one of those parties now set to prop up the Conservatives.

In addition, one of the demands of the DUP in return for doing so is that the Tories forbid any referendum on a united Ireland. Such an agreement would be unconstitutional, as this provision is specifically allowed under the Good Friday Agreement.

Sinn Fein increased its vote in the seats that were contested in Northern Ireland in the general election, taking seven. Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams pointed out that unionist parties secured less than half the electorate’s backing for the first time in the region’s history, adding, “One thing we can say for certainty, there is going to be a referendum on Irish unity. I can’t say when, but there is going to be.”

The fact that the Tories are prepared to contemplate the resumption of conflict in Ireland, which cost thousands of lives over three decades beginning in 1969 in the “Troubles”, testifies to the existential crisis they face.

This is set to escalate. In just a week’s time, talks begin with the European Union over the terms of Britain’s exit from the EU. The ruling elite and the Tories are split over the issue of Brexit, with the majority of the ruling class—led by the financial elite in the City of London—opposed to departing the EU and Single Market.

The hung parliament offers the pro-Remain camp an opportunity to ensure there is no hard Brexit in which the UK leaves the Single Market. Others still seek to reverse Brexit entirely.

However, May is in greater thrall to the hard Brexit wing of her party than ever before. Her main Brexit ministers, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary David Davis, are both being touted as leadership challengers to May, and both continued in their positions as she reshuffled her cabinet Sunday. Another leading Tory Brexiteer, Michael Gove, was recalled to the cabinet.

May is only still in place because the hard Brexit wing fear that if she is forced to stand down as a result of a leadership challenge, this would lead to weeks and months of instability and then a second general election, which would likely see Labour elected.

On Sunday, a new poll [for the conservative Daily Mail] found that Labour had surged six points ahead of the Tories.

May must present the new government’s upcoming legislative programme to parliament on Tuesday in the Queen’s Speech. Corbyn said on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show Sunday that Labour was ready to head a government if called upon, and would be putting forward amendments to the Queen’s Speech demanding the adoption of parts of Labour’s election manifesto.

The main Tory-supporting newspapers who back Brexit are insisting May remain in office for now to prevent the election of a Corbyn-led Labour government at all costs. The Rupert Murdoch-owned Sun on Sunday editorialised, “In normal circumstances the removal men would already have been and gone after a humiliating resignation. But these aren’t normal circumstances… Every Tory MP has to remember, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, that if the Government falls there is every chance of Jeremy Corbyn taking over—and that would be an utter disaster for the country.”

In opposition, the pro-Remain sections of the bourgeoisie are making their voices heard via the Guardian and Financial Times.

Following the election, the Financial Times editorialised that “the sheer importance of this moment in Britain’s history, suggests the idea of a national unity government, made up of ministers from both parties.”

It suggested that if another election was not held May could remain as prime minister but would have “to face down the hard Brexiteers in her own party.”

It added, “Labour too has a responsibility to act in the interests of the country,” counselling, “It is time for all sides to consider the national interest rather than the narrow party interest. Mrs. May has an obligation to do so—or else go.”

There is slim chance that Corbyn would throw away Labour’s support in the working class … on a coalition with the Tories. The far more likely outcome would be a second general election that could be convened as early as the autumn.

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