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May to face vote of no confidence from Conservative MPs (Second Lead)
London, Dec 12 (IANS) UK Prime Minister Theresa May will face a vote of no confidence from MPs of her own ruling Conservative Party on Wednesday over her handling of Brexit.
Refusing to give up under pressure, May said she would fight the no-trust vote and warned that a change in leadership now would only serve to delay the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
The vote will take place between 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the BBC reported.
“A change of leadership in the Conservative Party now would put our country’s future at risk and create uncertainty when we can least afford it,” May told reporters outside 10 Downing Street.
“I will contest that vote with everything I have got.”
She said the vote risked handing Brexit decision making to members of the opposition Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn, according to Efe news.
“The new leader would not have the time to renegotiate the withdrawal agreement and get the legislation through Parliament by March 29,” May added, referring to the date the UK is officially scheduled to leave the bloc.
“So one of their first acts would have to be extending or rescinding Article 50, delaying or even stopping Brexit when people want us to get on with it.”
The challenge to May’s position came after the required 48 letters calling for a contest were delivered. She will need the backing of at least 158 conservative members of Parliament to see off the challenge.
The ruling party has amassed enough support to challenge May’s leadership, said a statement by Graham Brady, a member of the 1922 Committee parliamentary group.
If May loses, the Conservatives will elect a new leader through an internal process. If she wins, the party will be barred from holding a similar vote for a year, according to its rules.
In case she is ousted as Conservative leader, she would still be expected to stay on as a caretaker Prime Minister til a new leader is selected by the party, a process that could take six weeks.
The 48 letters came in the middle of a crisis generated by May’s decision to delay the crucial vote on her Brexit deal. She postponed the vote after eurosceptic Tories and opposition members expressed disagreement with the agreement.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister contacted European leaders to try to secure concessions intended to persuade Parliament to approve the agreement.
Following the no-trust vote announcement, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, tweeted: “I am backing @theresa_may tonight. Being PM is the most difficult job imaginable right now and the last thing the country needs is a damaging and long leadership contest.”
Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The last thing our country needs right now is a Conservative Party leadership election, which will be seen as self-indulgent and wrong. PM has my full support and is the best person to ensure we leave EU on March 29.”
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.