(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) – British Prime Minister Theresa May has survived a secret vote of confidence on her leadership of the ruling Conservative Party triggered by rebel MPs disgruntled by her Brexit deal.
Of the Conservatives’ 317 members of parliament, 200 voted in support of May during the poll on Wednesday evening, while 117 went against her.
The vote took place after Conservative Party MPs reached the threshold of 48 demands needed to trigger a confidence ballot on May’s leadership.
Having survived the poll, which came two days after she pulled a parliamentary vote on her proposed divorce plan, May is now immune from another internal leadership challenge for 12 months.
“Whilst I’m grateful for that support, a significant number of colleagues did cast votes against me. And I’ve listened to what they said,” May, who reportedly told her party on Wednesday she would not seek to lead it into Britain’s next general election in 2022, said in a televised statement after the ballot.
