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A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 12 July 2017

Weakened UK leader Theresa May vows to win ‘battle of ideas’

By JILL LAWLESS nents to contribute their a Conservative Party lead-
Associated Press “views and ideas” to help ership contest after pre-
LONDON (AP) — Attempt- shape policy during “a decessor David Cameron
ing to regain political mo- period of great national resigned when voters de-
mentum after an election change” as Britain leaves cided, against his advice,
left her atop a fragile mi- the European Union. to quit the EU. She called
nority government, British “My commitment to an early election in an at-
Prime Minister Theresa May changing Britain is un- tempt to bolster her major-
said Tuesday that she has dimmed,” May said, nearly ity and strengthen her au-
to win a “battle of ideas” in a year after taking office — thority during Brexit talks.
Parliament and the coun- and just over a month after The gamble backfired
try. she suffered a rebuff from when voters stripped the
In a speech both concil- voters in a snap election. Conservatives of their ma-
iatory and defiant, May May became prime minis- jority in Parliament and
urged her political oppo- ter on July 13, 2016, through boosted the number of

British Prime Minister Theresa May answers a question in a ques-
tion and answer session, after delivering a speech at the RSA
(Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures
and Commerce) in London, Tuesday, July 11, 2017.
(AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool)
seats held by the left-of- placed a greater emphasis
center, opposition Labour on government interven-
Party. tion than many previous
The result means May must Conservative leaders, and
rely on deal-making and promised to counteract
compromises to pass legis- some of the negative ef-
lation, and is struggling to fects of globalization, in-
persuade her party that she cluding a more unequal
isn’t a lame duck. A deal society.
with Northern Ireland’s so- She also vowed that Brit-
cially conservative Demo- ain would not fudge its exit
cratic Unionist Party gained from the European Union,
the government crucial insisting that “Brexit means
backing for key votes, but Brexit.”
annoyed some liberally But May has struggled to
minded Conservatives. win backing for her poli-
May acknowledged Tues- cies. The Conservative
day that the election result election platform, which
was “not what I wanted,” included plans to end free
but said she remained school lunches for young
committed to building a children, make seniors pay
fairer Britain as the country more for long-term care
leaves the European Union. and reconsider the ban on
“In this new context, it will fox hunting, is felt by many
be even more important to Tories to have contributed
make the case for our poli- to their poor election result.
cies and our values, and to The election setback has
win the battle of ideas both led the government to
in Parliament as well as in abandon many of the
the country,” she said at pledges May campaigned
the launch of a report on on, including plans to re-
how to guarantee protec- form education and trim
tions for the growing num- retirees’ benefits. Instead,
ber of workers in the “gig the government says it will
economy.” devote its energy to trying
When she took office, May to pass the laws needed to
tried to outline a distinct pave the way for Brexit —
political outlook that has due to take place in March
been called “Mayism.” She 2019.q