LONDON
-- Britain is heading for a hung parliament with Prime Minister Theresa
May set to surrender a significant number of seats to Labour in the
general election, according to a nationwide exit poll for the BBC, ITV,
and Sky News.
In
what would be an astonishing turnaround for Labour leader Jeremy
Corbyn, the number of seats separating the Conservatives from Labour is
set to be slashed, with the Tories winning 314 seats and Labour
capturing 266.
This
would leave the Tories 12 short of an overall majority, if accurate.
Labour is up 34 seats on its result in the 2015 election, according to
poll, while the Conservatives are down 16. The SNP, meanwhile, are
predicted to lose 22 seats.
It's
a shock result that few saw coming, and if borne out seems certain to
cause very serious problems for Prime Minister Theresa May's leadership.
She called the snap election from a position of relative strength to
try and reinforce the Tories' lead ahead of Brexit. Instead, she has
potentially kneecapped her party.
Meanwhile,
Jeremy Corbyn may have defied the critics both inside and outside of
the party to grow Labour's share of the seats compared to 2015.
Công dân EU có thể sẽ không được tới Anh tìm việc và định cư sau 15/3 Do lo ngại một lượng lớn công dân Romania và Bulgaria tìm cách vào Anh trước thời điểm "xứ sở sương mù" kích hoạt điều khoản 50 Hiệp ước Lisbon, chính thức tiến trình đàm phán đưa nước Anh rời khỏi Liên minh châu Âu (EU), còn gọi là Brexit, Thủ tướng Anh Theresa May cho biết sẽ công bố quyết định chấm dứt quyền tự do đến Anh tìm việc và định cư của công dân EU.
Tờ "Telegraph" (Điện tín) số ra ngày 27/2 cho biết Thủ tướng May dự kiến sẽ công bố quy định những công dân EU đến Anh sau thời điểm ngày 15/3/2017 sẽ không được hưởng quyền cư trú vĩnh viễn tại Anh như hiện nay nữa. Tuy nhiên, theo kế hoạch của bà May, khoảng 3,6 triệu người EU hiện đang ở Anh và những người đến Anh trước ngày 15/3 sẽ vẫn được hưởng quy chế sống và làm việc vĩnh viễn tại Anh.
Thủ tướng Anh Theresa May tại London ngày 22/2. Ảnh: EPA/TTXVN
EU cho rằng việc đưa ra thời hạn chốt thay đổi quy định đối với công dân EU của Anh phải là ngày nước Anh chính thức rời khỏi EU. Theo tờ "Independent" (Độc lập) cùng ngày, không rõ liệu quy định mới này của Anh có vi phạm quy định tự do làm việc và sinh sống đối với công dân các nước trong EU hay không.
Trong khi đó, một nguồn tin khác của chính phủ tỏ ra lo ngại Ủy ban châu Âu (EC) có thể sẽ gây áp lực buộc Chính phủ Anh phải bảo vệ quyền lợi mà các công dân EU hiện nay đang có cho đến khi nước này chính thức rời khỏi EU. Chính phủ Anh lo ngại nếu đợi đến khi Anh kết thúc đàm phán và chính thức rời khỏi EU, có khả năng "1/2 dân số Romania và Bulgaria" sẽ đến Anh trong khoảng thời gian này.
Hiện Anh có khoảng 1,2 triệu công dân của mình đang sinh sống tại các nước thuộc EU, và những người này cũng sẽ được hưởng quốc tịch EU.
Trong khi đó, giới chủ doanh nghiệp Anh đang lo ngại nguy cơ khó có thể tìm đủ nhân viên cho doanh nghiệp của mình trong bối cảnh xảy ra kịch bản "Brexit" cứng, đặc biệt nếu như các công dân EU bị yêu cầu rời khỏi Anh sau Brexit.
Hiện Nghị viện châu Âu đã ra tuyên bố điều tra về cách "đối xử" của Anh với các công dân EU đang sinh sống tại nước này trong bối cảnh có một số báo cáo cho rằng Anh đã dựng lên "bức tường thủ tục rườm rà" đối với các công dân EU khi những người này đang cố gắng hoàn tất thủ tục pháp lý của mình để được quyền cư trú vĩnh viễn tại Anh.
New Prime Minister Theresa May has made Boris Johnson, the former London mayor who led the Brexit campaign, foreign secretary in her new government.
He replaces Philip Hammond, who becomes chancellor. Ex-Energy Secretary Amber Rudd is home secretary and Eurosceptic David Davis is the Brexit secretary.
Ex-chancellor George Osborne was fired, the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg said.
On arriving at Downing Street, Mrs May vowed to lead a government that works for all, not just the "privileged few".
The UK's second female prime minister promised to give people who were "just managing" and "working around the clock" more control over their lives.
Downing Street said she took a number of "congratulatory phone calls" from other European leaders on Wednesday evening, where she told them "some time" would be needed to prepare for EU exit talks.
In her appointments announced so far, Michael Fallon continues as defence secretary, and Liam Fox, who resigned as defence secretary in 2011, has a new role as secretary of state for international trade.
Theresa May's new cabinet appointments
Chancellor - Philip Hammond
Home Secretary - Amber Rudd
Foreign Secretary - Boris Johnson
Defence Secretary - Michael Fallon
Secretary of State for exiting the European Union - David Davis
International Trade Secretary - Liam Fox
Mrs May has spoken of the need to reunite the Conservative Party after the EU referendum, in which she backed a Remain vote.
Her new line-up includes big jobs for prominent Leave campaigners Mr Johnson - who was initially tipped as the next prime minister after the Brexit vote - Mr Fox, and Mr Davis, whose job title is "secretary of state for exiting the European Union".
UKIP leader Nigel Farage tweeted that the appointments of Mr Fox and Mr Davis were "inspired choices", adding: "I feel more optimistic now."
On Twitter, Mr Osborne, who was chancellor throughout Mr Cameron's tenure, said the job had been a "privilege", adding: "Others will judge - I hope I've left the economy in a better state than I found it."
Media captionBoris Johnson: "I'm very humbled, very proud to be offered this chance"
The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg said Mr Osborne had been "told his services were no longer required" because his "brand" was seen as "too tarnished".
Mr Johnson said he was "very humbled" to be appointed foreign secretary.
He said Mrs May had made a "wonderful speech" earlier, saying there was a "massive opportunity in this country to make a great success of our new relationship with Europe and with the world".
But Lib Dem leader Tim Farron predicted Mr Johnson would "spend more time apologising to nations he's offended" than working as foreign secretary.
Image copyrightPAImage captionTheresa May was applauded as she entered 10 Downing Street for the first time as PM
The new prime minister had spoken by phone to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Downing Street said late on Wednesday.
A Number 10 spokeswoman said the PM had "emphasised her commitment to delivering the will of the British people to leave the European Union".
She added: "The prime minister explained that we would need some time to prepare for these negotiations and spoke of her hope that these could be conducted in a constructive and positive spirit."
Analysis
Image copyrightAP
By Laura Kuenssberg, BBC political editor
The biggest surprise is the appointment of Boris Johnson, the Tory members' darling, as the foreign secretary - one of the greatest offices of state, with a hugely different role as the UK contemplates life outside the EU.
There will be arguments in the coming days of course about how that role will compare and possibly pull against the newly-created "minister for Brexit", a role that's been filled by arch Eurosceptic David Davis, a serial campaigner for civil liberties who is difficult to placate. The Eurosceptic Liam Fox is in charge of drumming up trade.
But the decision that marks the clearest break with the past is the sacking of George Osborne, David Cameron's fixer and political friend for so long.
Earlier, after returning from Buckingham Palace, where she was formally appointed as prime minister by the Queen, Mrs May made a speech from outside 10 Downing Street.
Her husband Philip was standing behind her as she highlighted the "precious bond" between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and between "every one of us".
"That means fighting against the burning injustice that if you're born poor you will die on average nine years earlier than others," Mrs May said.
For an "ordinary working class family", she added, "life is much harder than many people in Westminster realise".
"When it comes to opportunity, we won't entrench the advantages of the fortunate few, we will do everything we can to help anybody, whatever your background, to go as far as your talents will take you," Mrs May said.
Media captionTributes to David Cameron at final Prime Minister's Questions
Mrs May also paid tribute to her predecessor, David Cameron, saying he had been "a great modern prime minister".
Mr Cameron earlier gave his final speech as prime minister, saying it had been "the greatest honour" of his life and that the UK was "much stronger" than when he took over.
