Theresa May revealed today she had finally found the Brexit formula to both have her cake and eat it after receiving a cupcake from a sympathetic child.
The PM revealed the treat had been among a ‘huge number’ of messages of support as she faced her rebellious party with a Brexit they hate and confronted a Tory coup.
Mrs May revealed the gift from Gabby Balaes, 9, during a phone-in on the BBC to drum up support for her ailing Brexit package.
Theresa May revealed today she had finally found the Brexit formula to both have her cake and eat it after receiving a cupcake from a sympathetic child
She said: ‘I’ve had a huge number of messages – really kind messages – from people up and down the country, who have sent me flowers.
‘One nine-year-old, Gabby Balaes, actually baked a cupcake with my face on it. There was a message. It said that her dad had said I’d had a tough week and she wanted to make me smile.’
She said she was ‘sorry’ and ‘disappointed’ that some members of her Cabinet had resigned over her Brexit stance, adding: ‘Obviously, they have got strong feelings about this issue, they had campaigned to leave the EU and they had done good work in the Cabinet.’
Asked if she might sometimes ‘go home and swear’ about colleagues walking out, she replied: ‘No, it’s up to people’s choice.’
In the BBC phone in, Mrs May also warned that EU is not ‘going to give us a better deal’ if MPs vote down her settlement.
Torpedoing the plan will just lead to ‘more division and uncertainty’, she said.
Asked repeatedly whether she will resign if she loses in the Commons – as seems inevitable – Mrs May appeared to rue out the prospect: ‘No… I’m focusing on ensuring that we get this deal through Parliament.
‘I believe this is absolutely the right deal for the UK. This is not about me.’
The PM revealed on 5 Live (pictured) the treat had been among a ‘huge number’ of messages of support as she faced her rebellious party with a Brexit they hate and confronted a Tory coup
The comments came after former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab heaped pressure on the PM as she faces ‘mission impossible’ to get the package through Parliament.
More than half of Tory backbenchers have now publicly declared that they will vote against the deal in a looming Commons showdown next month.
Mrs May repeatedly dodged today when asked whether she has a ‘Plan B’ for a defeat in Parliament. She also appeared to avoid saying that her blueprint would be ‘better’ than the current membership terms – suggesting it would be ‘different’.
Mrs May insisted none of the Tory rebels who have been trying to oust her – led by Jacob Rees-Mogg – were off her Christmas card list.