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What can TM be thinking of?

(357 Posts)
Luckygirl Wed 03-May-17 19:25:02

Sigh and double sigh.

Not content with taking us into an undemocratic referendum when we are all asked to vote on something where no-one could have a clear picture of the options, the conservatives now have a leader who stands and loudly slags off those with whom we need to negotiate for the secure future of the country. All thoroughly irresponsible - it just makes me want to despair.

GracesGranMK2 Wed 03-May-17 23:36:41

She didn't really 'inherit' it did she Ana. She went after it, wanted it and is now fighting to have complete and utter say in how it goes.

durhamjen Wed 03-May-17 23:52:12

Anyone else wonder if she is doing it because she's had enough?

"She cannot think on her feet and has the turning circle of a small planet, as her halting performances at Prime Minister’s Questions show.

Meeting an angry voter with the cameras in full view could end in disaster – as could agreeing to the televised debates."

Did you notice that as soon as she had finished her speech she scurried speedily inside Downing Street?

Ginny42 Thu 04-May-17 00:40:28

I agree DJ. It seems she's overwhelmed by it all and out of her depth. She went into this significant role as someone who was a remainer a very short time before the Referendum. Now her rather aggressive behaviour appears to be an attempt to convince voters that anyone but her would capitulate.

Difficult to know what's going on in her head really, but portraying our European partners as an enemy and accusing Brussels of interfering in the GE is a very unwise negotiating stance.

Naturally the member states of the EU are not going to be dictated to by the UK. But then some of us knew that all along.

petra Thu 04-May-17 06:24:01

"Did you notice that as soon as she had finished her speech she scurried speedily inside Downing Street"
Maybe because she lives there?

suzied Thu 04-May-17 06:39:36

What's with the "vote for me" stuff? I didn't think we were voting for a president, does T May appear on every ballot paper? I am going to have a drink every time I hear any Tory say " strong and stable" or "coalition of chaos". Could be a new drinking game.

Anya Thu 04-May-17 07:27:43

It was a scurrying movement, spider-Iike. She needs to learn to stand up straight.

Ceesnan Thu 04-May-17 07:28:38

If you are trying to get a sensible settlement from someone, you do not antagonize them unnecessarily. Think this could apply to Juncker too!

petra Thu 04-May-17 07:36:20

Asked if he regretted the leaks: answer, yes.

ninny Thu 04-May-17 08:03:05

You ask what can TM be thinking of?
Putting Britain and the British people first, fighting for us and not have the EU dictate to us. I have every confidence in her and the Conservative Party and agree no deal is better than a bad deal.
Unfortunately some on GN and in real life would accept any deal however bad, have you no pride or love of your country.
The constant criticism of Theresa May is pathetic, yet some have stuck up for Diane Abbott's what hipocrites some of you are.

Welshwife Thu 04-May-17 08:33:33

I did watcnh the whole speech more than once Pogs and I also read it. I thought it pointed out that bills needed to be paid but there was to be no punishment. Often you can take more than one impression from what people say - I thought that so far all of them - Barnier, Junker, Tusk, and Verhofstadt have been very strong but friendly enough under the circumstances. What we must not forget is that from the word go last Sept. the Govt gave been bullish and confrontational - not at all diplomatic. It is in no-ones interests to fall out - but if that happens UK will be in a far worst position than anyone else.
For centuries Britain more or less got its own way with almost everything it wanted - and takes it hard when others are not going to just jump to it! It is the choice of the British people I understand that we are doing this stupid thing and negotiations need to be done and rules followed to get any way a reasonable outcome.

Rigby46 Thu 04-May-17 08:35:37

Well ninny so you think her performance outside no 10 yesterday has helped us? It was not aimed at the national interest - and couldn't be further from it - but at cheap cheap cheap self interested party political advantage. I thought DC was going to go down as the worst PM in living memory but she will surely be running him close by the time this is all over. You and others like you have absolutely no idea of what no deal would mean for us all - no idea at all. And actually talk of love and pride in our country - have you head the saying ' patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel?'. When I saw her delusional paranoid outburst yesterday I was bloody ashamed to be British quite frankly.

durhamjen Thu 04-May-17 08:59:16

Well said, Rigby.
I just put my head in my hands and said, "Oh, no, not again!"

MaizieD Thu 04-May-17 09:28:11

Hear, hear! Rigby

When I think of 'strong women' I think of people like Maggie Thatcher (who I detested), Angela Merkel, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama. None of whom would have behaved as May is behaving; like a participant in a teenage playground spat.

She is being wrongfooted on everything she does and, if she really believes that 65 million people are behind her on Brexit, she clearly has no ability at all to judge the mood of 'the people'.

It isn't in the slightest bit unpatriotic to criticise May and to refuse to support her, in fact, I think it's unpatriotic to do so because under the cover of the Brexit mess she is bent on changing the nature of our parliamentary democracy (which she clearly doesn't actually understand), destroying our public services and imposing a one party dictatorship with herself in the Erdogan role...

I think it's very sad that people are so obsessed with leaving the EU that they cannot see the damage May and Brexit are doing to the UK's institutions and way of life.

Jane10 Thu 04-May-17 09:46:51

I'm as cross as as any of you that we're leaving the EU. However, if we must (and we do), then I'd far rather that we had a PM who doesn't take the EU leaks etc lying down. She has to appear a tough cookie and unlikely to do other than fight for our best interests. The EU has to look tough too otherwise other members might seek to leave. Its going to be a nasty few years. Naturally we won't all be pleased with the outcome. However, I can't think who else in any political party could represent us better than Theresa May.

Jane10 Thu 04-May-17 09:46:52

I'm as cross as as any of you that we're leaving the EU. However, if we must (and we do), then I'd far rather that we had a PM who doesn't take the EU leaks etc lying down. She has to appear a tough cookie and unlikely to do other than fight for our best interests. The EU has to look tough too otherwise other members might seek to leave. Its going to be a nasty few years. Naturally we won't all be pleased with the outcome. However, I can't think who else in any political party could represent us better than Theresa May.

varian Thu 04-May-17 09:50:40

Theresa May has won a ringing endorsement from Marine le Pen (contesting the French Presidential election on behalf of the Front National):

"I think I'm best placed to talk to this new world that's emerging, to talk to the Russia of Putin, to the United States of Trump, to talk to the Britain of (Prime Minister Theresa) May ... to talk to the India of (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi," she said in an interview.

She said that was "because all of those countries are more or less turning their backs on the ideology of free trade, of competition and of undermining social protection.

www.reuters.com/article/us-france-election-le-pen-trump-idUSKBN17Y2DL

Putin seems to be pulling a lot of strings, having interfered in the EU referendum here and the USA presidential election last year. Putin, Trump and Marine le Pen were the ONLY foreign leaders to support the Leave campaign. Brexit is an integral part of Putin's campaign to destroy the EU and Theresa May seems to be a willing pawn in his game. I wonder whether she's really happy with the company she's in?

Anya Thu 04-May-17 09:54:35

A willing pawn? I doubt it. I suspect she's just not canny enough to know what's what.

Luckygirl Thu 04-May-17 09:55:04

ninny - putting Britain first involves mature diplomacy; not the aggressive stance she is taking, revelling in being a "bloody difficult woman." It is likely that the negotiations will be challenging and they will drive a hard bargain; but fighting fire with the fire so openly in the media is not the sensible way forward. It shows a total lack of understanding of diplomacy and of negotiating skills. And I do think it is blatant electioneering because she knows there are people who would relish giving the EU a bloody nose, regardless of the outcomes for us all.

We can only hope that there are those behind the scenes who are able to deal properly with this situation.

angelab Thu 04-May-17 10:09:17

Sadly I suspect that this aggressive (and surely counterproductive?) attitude is exactly the kind of thing that some voters will revel in - strong Britain, won't be pusher around by the EU etc. whereas I feel it's much more likely to be a disaster.

GracesGranMK2 Thu 04-May-17 10:13:01

I appreciate that our views mold reactions to this sort of statement but to me she sounded rather petulant.

nigglynellie Thu 04-May-17 10:32:30

Let's face it for most people on here whatever Theresa May does or does not do will be wrong in every respect but whatever the EU does or says is perfect. Mrs May is castigated, Diane Abbott applauded! So no point discussing it. What does baffle me is that the EU is so full of people with self interest at heart, wastes so much money,(moving the parliament once a month which is a complete farce, being just one example) treats other states who dare to object with barely concealed disdain pays itself huge sums of money in salaries and pensions to people usually so despised by the far left as to be almost unspeakable, and yet fat cats and gravy train which would normally invoke howls of rage seem, in this instance perfectly acceptable! Hypocrisy? or blind eye?!!

Luckygirl Thu 04-May-17 10:42:34

I have castigated TM and DA! They have both behaved in ways unbefitting to their role

MawBroon Thu 04-May-17 10:44:18

Not many people applauding Diane Abbott grin

GracesGranMK2 Thu 04-May-17 10:46:33

I don't rate the replies from the EU either niggly. Some of us are not so blinkered as you suggest and who applauded Diane Abbott debacle?

Why are the people who hold the opposing view to yours ALL self-interested? Some, who have reached your conclusions will also be entirely self-interested. Equally, on both sides, some will have been reached their conclusion while trying to consider it entirely altruistically. The vast majority will have decided on a mixture of both and will not be entirely viewing it all one way. Hopefully most will not be as rude as you are to those holding opposing views.

Of course, because of your personal comments about those who do not hold the same views as you, I did not read any further and that is just what the mud slinging does - it prevents actual discussion.

GracesGranMK2 Thu 04-May-17 10:47:09

Abbott's