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| Theresa May Flies to Meet Angela Merkel After a Confrontation in Parliament | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| LONDON — Underscoring her arrival in the political limelight, Britain’s new prime minister, Theresa May, on Wednesday faced down the opposition leader in Parliament before flying to Berlin to discuss British withdrawal from the European Union with Chancellor Angela Merkel. | LONDON — Underscoring her arrival in the political limelight, Britain’s new prime minister, Theresa May, on Wednesday faced down the opposition leader in Parliament before flying to Berlin to discuss British withdrawal from the European Union with Chancellor Angela Merkel. |
| In Berlin, the early signs were positive, though the visit was less about detailed negotiation than it was establishing positions and developing a working rapport with Ms. Merkel, the union’s most powerful politician. | In Berlin, the early signs were positive, though the visit was less about detailed negotiation than it was establishing positions and developing a working rapport with Ms. Merkel, the union’s most powerful politician. |
| Initially, the two leaders appeared tense, and, as Ms. Merkel opened with her remarks, she occasionally glanced at Mrs. May, who kept her gaze ahead, listening intently to the translation. | Initially, the two leaders appeared tense, and, as Ms. Merkel opened with her remarks, she occasionally glanced at Mrs. May, who kept her gaze ahead, listening intently to the translation. |
| But, when asked about their first impressions of one another, Mrs. May broke into a wide smile and responded that, “We have two women here who, if I may say so, want to get on with the job and want to deliver the best possible results for the people of the U.K. and of Germany.” | But, when asked about their first impressions of one another, Mrs. May broke into a wide smile and responded that, “We have two women here who, if I may say so, want to get on with the job and want to deliver the best possible results for the people of the U.K. and of Germany.” |
| The chancellor, after pausing for a moment to hear the final words of the simultaneous translation, turned to Mrs. May with an equally broad smile and said, “Genau,” German for “exactly.” Ms. Merkel appeared to soften her impatience over London’s delay in triggering the start of formal negotiations, and signaled a willingness to give Mrs. May’s new government time to figure out what it wants before moving ahead. | The chancellor, after pausing for a moment to hear the final words of the simultaneous translation, turned to Mrs. May with an equally broad smile and said, “Genau,” German for “exactly.” Ms. Merkel appeared to soften her impatience over London’s delay in triggering the start of formal negotiations, and signaled a willingness to give Mrs. May’s new government time to figure out what it wants before moving ahead. |
| An understanding between the two leaders could provide crucial support, and time, for Mrs. May and her negotiators as they tackle the complex task of extricating Britain from more than four decades of European integration. | An understanding between the two leaders could provide crucial support, and time, for Mrs. May and her negotiators as they tackle the complex task of extricating Britain from more than four decades of European integration. |
| Mrs. May stressed her determination not to rush into making a formal declaration of Britain’s departure that would start the clock ticking on a two-year negotiating deadline. In London, she had reiterated a pledge to reduce net migration — a key issue in last month’s “Brexit” referendum — promising to cut it to below 100,000 a year, though appearing to backtrack on a deadline for doing so. | Mrs. May stressed her determination not to rush into making a formal declaration of Britain’s departure that would start the clock ticking on a two-year negotiating deadline. In London, she had reiterated a pledge to reduce net migration — a key issue in last month’s “Brexit” referendum — promising to cut it to below 100,000 a year, though appearing to backtrack on a deadline for doing so. |
| In both capitals, Mrs. May showed few signs of being of being a novice, despite having been in the job for just one week. She seemed relatively at ease both in the rather sober and businesslike forum with Ms. Merkel, and in the rowdy atmosphere of Parliament during the question session for the prime minister. | In both capitals, Mrs. May showed few signs of being of being a novice, despite having been in the job for just one week. She seemed relatively at ease both in the rather sober and businesslike forum with Ms. Merkel, and in the rowdy atmosphere of Parliament during the question session for the prime minister. |
| Before she flew to Berlin, her office issued a statement saying that Britain was relinquishing its turn to hold the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, where national governments meet, which was scheduled for the second half of next year. That move was almost inevitable, given the outcome of the referendum. | Before she flew to Berlin, her office issued a statement saying that Britain was relinquishing its turn to hold the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, where national governments meet, which was scheduled for the second half of next year. That move was almost inevitable, given the outcome of the referendum. |
| On Thursday, Mrs. May plans to meet in Paris with President François Hollande. | On Thursday, Mrs. May plans to meet in Paris with President François Hollande. |
| While Ms. Merkel was diplomatic on Wednesday, German and French politicians insist that Britain cannot keep access to the European Union’s single market without accepting the free movement of workers across frontiers — something that Mrs. May is under pressure at home to resist. | While Ms. Merkel was diplomatic on Wednesday, German and French politicians insist that Britain cannot keep access to the European Union’s single market without accepting the free movement of workers across frontiers — something that Mrs. May is under pressure at home to resist. |
| In the parliamentary session, Mrs. May refused to be drawn out on that issue, when asked by a veteran Conservative lawmaker, Edward Leigh, whether she was willing to “reject staying in the single regulated market and offering instead to our friends in Europe a free trade deal very much in their interests.” Mrs. May said she would take heed of calls to control free movement, but also aim to negotiate the “right deal and the best deal” over trade. | In the parliamentary session, Mrs. May refused to be drawn out on that issue, when asked by a veteran Conservative lawmaker, Edward Leigh, whether she was willing to “reject staying in the single regulated market and offering instead to our friends in Europe a free trade deal very much in their interests.” Mrs. May said she would take heed of calls to control free movement, but also aim to negotiate the “right deal and the best deal” over trade. |
| Confronting the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, Mrs. May struck a confident, sometimes acerbic, tone and likened him to an “unscrupulous boss,” suggesting that his top tier of lawmakers had to “double their workload” while he “exploits the rules to further his own career.” | Confronting the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, Mrs. May struck a confident, sometimes acerbic, tone and likened him to an “unscrupulous boss,” suggesting that his top tier of lawmakers had to “double their workload” while he “exploits the rules to further his own career.” |
| Mr. Corbyn, who faces a leadership challenge from a Labour rival, Owen Smith, has been hit by the mass resignation of much of his senior team in Parliament, leading some of those who remain loyal to have more than one portfolio. | Mr. Corbyn, who faces a leadership challenge from a Labour rival, Owen Smith, has been hit by the mass resignation of much of his senior team in Parliament, leading some of those who remain loyal to have more than one portfolio. |
| Mrs. May pointedly thanked Labour lawmakers who defied the views of Mr. Corbyn to vote alongside her on Monday to renew Britain’s Trident nuclear missile system. | Mrs. May pointedly thanked Labour lawmakers who defied the views of Mr. Corbyn to vote alongside her on Monday to renew Britain’s Trident nuclear missile system. |
| She noted that she was the Conservative Party’s — and the nation’s — second female prime minister (the first was Margaret Thatcher), saying that she had “long heard the Labour Party asking what the Conservative Party does for women” before adding the answer: “It just keeps making us prime minister.” | She noted that she was the Conservative Party’s — and the nation’s — second female prime minister (the first was Margaret Thatcher), saying that she had “long heard the Labour Party asking what the Conservative Party does for women” before adding the answer: “It just keeps making us prime minister.” |
| Mr. Corbyn attacked what he described as failed Conservative economic policies that had made people poorer, prompting Mrs. May to respond: “He calls it austerity. I call it living within our means.” | Mr. Corbyn attacked what he described as failed Conservative economic policies that had made people poorer, prompting Mrs. May to respond: “He calls it austerity. I call it living within our means.” |
| Mrs. May, however, avoided one question from Mr. Corbyn, who asked her about past comments made by her foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, about President Obama’s “part-Kenyan” heritage. | Mrs. May, however, avoided one question from Mr. Corbyn, who asked her about past comments made by her foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, about President Obama’s “part-Kenyan” heritage. |