Theresa May’s Brexit “shambles cannot go on” and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn should move a no-confidence motion in the prime minister, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Tuesday.
“If the time is not right now” for a confidence motion, “then when will the time be right?” Sturgeon said on the BBC’s Today program.
“Whatever Theresa May might be saying now, this delay I don’t think is going to change anything in any fundamental way,” Sturgeon said. “She’s trying to run down the clock hoping to get to a point where people have to back her because there’s no alternative [to her Brexit deal] and parliament cannot allow her to get away with that.”
Asked why her Scottish National Party hadn’t put forward a censure motion against the prime minister given Labour was refusing to push for an official motion of no confidence because it wanted to instead push for a general election, Sturgeon said she wanted to take a more “meaningful” path. “But if Labour wouldn’t do that … then of course we’ll consider all options.”
She continued: “I actually want real action happening now, not just posturing. I want to see a confidence motion that preferably brings this sorry excuse for a government down, but [if it doesn’t] at least clears the way for Labour to get behind another [Brexit referendum] vote. Because I think if Labour does that, then there will be a majority in the House of Commons for another vote.”
“I recognize the pressure Theresa May is under,” Sturgeon said. “I spoke to her yesterday and you can hear that in her voice. “That said, she’s brought a lot of it on herself.”