Page 8 - aruba-today-20170603

A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 3 June 2017

UK’s May grilled by voters, urged to confront Trump on Paris

By JILL LAWLESS ed that the accord cannot
Associated Press be renegotiated.
LONDON (AP) — With less May’s office would not
than a week until Britain say whether she had been
votes in a national elec- asked to sign it. May noted
tion, Prime Minister Theresa that Japan and Canada
May faced tough ques- — fellow members of the
tions from voters Friday G-7 group of rich industri-
about her Conservative alized nations — also were
government’s cuts to wel- not signatories, but like Brit-
fare and health spending. ain remain committed to
She was also accused the Paris agreement.
by opponents of failing “I made the U.K.’s position
to stand up to the United clear to President Trump
States over its withdrawal last week at the G-7 meet-
from the Paris climate ac- ing, as did the other G-7
cord. May and opposition leaders, and I made the
Labour Party leader Jer- position clear to President
emy Corbyn appeared Trump last night,” May said
before a live audience on Friday. Scottish First Minis-
prime-time TV — but con- ter Nicola Sturgeon said
secutively, rather than side not signing the declaration
by side. was an “appalling abdica-
May has refused to take tion of leadership.”
part in any televised de- Corbyn accused May of
bates, saying she prefers to “subservience” to Trump.
answer questions directly Britain’s Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Theresa May, reacts while on the gen- The Labour leader, a vet-
eral election campaign trail, in Doncaster, England, Friday June 2, 2017. Britain will hold a general
from voters. Friday’s show election on June 8. eran left-winger who was
may have tested that pref- (Scott Heppell/PA via AP) given little chance of beat-
erence, as audience mem- ing May at the start of the
bers criticized the prime She also denied breaking Donald Trump’s announce- Trump by phone “and told election, has had a good
minister for presiding over promises, including her vow ment that he would pull out him that the U.K. believes campaign and seen his
stagnant wages for nurses not to call an early elec- of the Paris accord sent the in the Paris agreement and poll ratings rise.
and cuts for those needed tion. May said she “had the issue of climate change — that we didn’t want the Corbyn also was made to
physical and mental care. balls to call an election” and May’s attempts to bol- United States to leave the squirm by the television au-
May said the government because it was important ster the trans-Atlantic “spe- Paris agreement.” dience, who pressed him
had “had to take some to give the government a cial relationship” — to the But Britain did not sign a joint on his opposition to Britain’s
hard choices across the stronger mandate to nego- top of the agenda in cam- statement by the leaders of nuclear arsenal, and asked
public sector” to curb tiate Britain’s exit from the paigning for Britain’s June 8 Germany, France and Italy, if he would be prepared to
spending and reduce the European Union. election. who said they regretted use atomic weapons if Brit-
country’s deficit. May spoke after President May’s said she spoke to Trump’s decision and insist- ain was threatened. q

Ireland’s likely next PM would be first gay, minority leader

LONDON (AP) — Ireland’s lic,” Varadkar said after his for a couple more weeks openly gay leader. ly hard.
governing Fine Gael par- victory was announced in while Varadkar holds talks Varadkar was born in Dub- He also will have to steer
ty on Friday elected Leo Dublin. with other parties and inde- lin in 1979, the son of an Ireland during complex
Varadkar, the gay son of Coveney won the votes of pendents propping up the Indian doctor and an Irish divorce negotiations be-
an Indian immigrant, as its a majority of party mem- Fine Gael-led government. nurse. He came out pub- tween Britain and the EU.
new leader and the coun- bers, but Varadkar was His confirmation as Taoise- licly as gay in the run-up to Brexit has major implica-
try’s likely next prime minis- backed by most lawmak- ach — Ireland’s prime min- a 2015 referendum that le- tions for Ireland, the only
ter. ers and local representa- ister — would come when galized same-sex marriage EU country to share a land
Varadkar defeated rival Si- tives to give him victory un- the lower house of parlia- in Ireland. border with the United
mon Coveney in a contest der the center-right party’s ment resumes after a break If confirmed as prime min- Kingdom.
to replace Enda Kenny, electoral college system. on June 13. ister, Varadkar will lead a Varadkar said he was
who resigned last month. He is highly likely to become At 38, Varadkar would be country still emerging from “aware of the enormous
“If my election as leader of prime minister in Ireland’s Ireland’s youngest prime the shadow of the 2008 challenges ahead. I’m
Fine Gael today has shown coalition government, al- minister, as well as the first global financial crisis, which ready for those challenges,
anything, it is that prejudice though not immediately. from an ethnic-minority hit the debt-fueled “Celtic as are we as a party.”q
has no hold on this repub- Kenny will remain in place background and the first Tiger” economy particular-