No Confidence Vote: UK PM Theresa May survives ballot with 200 votes to 117

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Europe

02:57

Theresa May survives. She has retained the title of British Prime Minister after a no confidence vote.

May faced the vote after members of her own party thought her Brexit deal with the EU was unsatisfactory. With divisions inside the Conservative Party, May needed 158 votes to win. And she got more than that - 200 votes in support. Our correspondent Richard Bestic stayed up the whole night in London, and here's his latest report.

Well, it became apparent that Theresa May had survived this confidence vote. There was thumping on the tables by members of parliament. Then, however, a man in a silver suit had other news -- the figures. And they weren't quite so cheery.

GRAHAM BRADY SENIOR CONSERVATIVE LAWMAKER "The number of votes cast in favour of Theresa May was 200 and against was 117."

It means effectively the Theresa May is back where she was a day or so ago. But now, she has figures to show how great the task in front of her remains. 63% of her party supporter, the rest who tried to block her deal with the European Union and the withdrawal of agreement. That, despite efforts earlier, around the House of the Parliament.

THERESA MAY BRITISH PRIME MINISTER "Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division."

Talks of this win-or-lose challenge to the UK PM has been swearing around the British Parliament for days. Much of the anger came from her decision to put off a parliament revote on Brexit withdrawal deal. Parliamentary resistants forced May back on the European again, seeking concessions and securing a little.

ANGELA MERKEL GERMAN CHANCELLOR "We have no intention of changing the exit agreement. That's the general position of all 27 member states."

PHILIP HAMMOND UK CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER "What this vote will do is flush out the extremists who are trying to advance a particular agenda, which would really not be in the interests of the British people or the British economy."

RICHARD BESTIC LONDON "So, the UK Prime Minister survives to fight another day, but facing all the same intractable conflicts that existed before the challenge on her leadership. British politics and its Parliament then stuck with no apparent way out of a chaotic Brexit loop. RB, CGTN, London."