Theresa May: Another general election would not be in the national interest
2 min read
Theresa May has ruled out calling another snap election - insisting it is "not in the national interest".
It was reported at the weekend that Downing Street aides had begun "war-gaming" another poll in a bid to break the Brexit deadlock.
But speaking to reporters on her way to the UN General Assembly in New York, Mrs May insisted that was not going to happen.
She said: "What I am doing is working to deliver a good deal with Europe in the national interest. It would not be in the national interest to have an election."
Meanwhile, Mrs May will use her trip to the US to pledge to make the UK the low tax haven of Europe.
Speaking at the Bloomberg Business Forum, the Prime Minister will say: “Whatever your business, investing in a post-Brexit Britain will give you the lowest rate of corporation tax in the G20.
“You will access service industries and a financial centre in London that are the envy of the world; the best universities, strong institutions, a sound approach to public finance and a consistent and dependable approach to high standards but intelligent regulation.”
Mrs May will commit the Government to cutting corporation tax from 19% to 17% as part of an “unequivocally pro-business” new tax regime.
She will say she plans to create a post-Brexit economy that is “knowledge-rich, highly innovative, highly skilled and high quality but with low tax and smart regulation”.
The Prime Minister’s plans are designed to appeal to Eurosceptics in her party, after her latest Brexit plans came up against opposition.
This week Mark Francois, the vice chairman of the European Research Group, said: “If push really comes to shove, and they try to push Chequers through the House of Commons, then I and my colleagues will vote against it.”
Asked if she was bluffing when she suggested that UK could still leave the EU without a deal Mrs May said: “No. What we issued yesterday was some more technical notices to help businesses and others who would need to prepare in a no-deal situation ... that’s the right sensible approach.”
She also refused to say she would resign if her Chequers plan was rejected by MPs in a Commons vote, declaring: “They will have to recognise, looking at their vote, that what we are doing is delivering on the vote of the referendum and delivering on the vote of the British people.”
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