Theresa May jokes about ‘adult’ Boris and David ‘Mad Max’ Davis
PM takes a swipe at cabinet ministers and tells a ‘bawdy’ canvassing story at black tie event
Theresa May last night joked that she called a snap general election last spring simply to avoid getting out of making a speech to journalists, and that she “might do the same again this Easter”.
Talking to the Westminster correspondents dinner, the PM said of last year's dinner: “I was looking forward to this event so much that I called a general election to get out of it.
“But I can’t pull that stunt two years in a row. Or can I? I am, after all, going walking in Wales at Easter.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
May made the decision to go to the polls during a walking holiday last spring.
In what The Sun describes as an “uncharacteristically bawdy after-dinner speech”, the Prime Minister took aim at a number of her cabinet ministers - and told a story about a home visit gone awry.
“One canvassing trip in particular sticks in the memory,” she said. “I was at the open door of a caravan and there was clearly some activity within, so I duly knocked. No answer – but the activity persisted.
“It looked like there was someone lying down. I knocked again, and put my head around the door. There was someone lying down. In fact, two people were lying down. And it wasn’t a good time to ask them if they were going to vote Conservative. They were giving a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘deep and special partnership’.
“I’m used to hearing moans on the doorstep, but this was something else.”
The Guardian reports that May acknowledged her own “Maybot” nickname, awarded to her by Guardian sketch writer John Crace for her “wooden style of answering questions”, and subsequently joked that if Boris Johnson was a smartphone app it would carry the warning “contains adult content”.
She also claimed Chancellor Philip Hammond, was “like a drier, less frivolous version of LinkedIn”, and described Brexit secretary David Davis as “Mad Max”.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The Onion is having a very ironic laugh with Infowars
The Explainer The satirical newspaper is purchasing the controversial website out of bankruptcy
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Rahmbo, back from Japan, will be looking for a job? Really?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What's next for electric vehicles under Trump?
Today's Big Question And what does that mean for Tesla's Elon Musk?
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Last hopes for justice for UK's nuclear test veterans
Under the Radar Thousands of ex-service personnel say their lives have been blighted by aggressive cancers and genetic mutations
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Donald Trump wreck the Brexit deal?
Today's Big Question President-elect's victory could help UK's reset with the EU, but a free-trade agreement with the US to dodge his threatened tariffs could hinder it
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The Tamils stranded on 'secretive' British island in Indian Ocean
Under the Radar Migrants 'unlawfully detained' since 2021 shipwreck on UK-controlled Diego Garcia, site of important US military base
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published