Britain awoke Friday to newspaper front pages that portrayed its prime minister as a lonely soldier intent on keeping her Brexit plan alive.
The headlines were largely unsympathetic to Theresa May following a tumultuous day that started with a wave of resignations by key ministers and ended with the prime minister defending her plan in a televised press conference.
Rumors swirled throughout Thursday as political analysts and newspaper columnists questioned whether May could continue as prime minister. But by Friday, the media was focused on her defiance.
Top UK newspapers led with images of May during her press conference. The Financial Times, Daily Mirror and Daily Express each described May as “defiant.” The Times headline read: “Lonely May staggers on.”
The Guardian summed up the previous day’s action as “Resignations, a coup and a day of hostility. But May fights on.” It used an image of the prime minister seemingly glaring over a glass of water.
Tabloids the I and Metro chose to focus on conflicts within May’s Conservative Party, with Metro declaring the fight “blue on blue” as the party “tears itself apart.”
The Telegraph quoted May for its headline: “Am I going to see this through? Yes I am.”
The Daily Mail, which had been a staunch supporter of Brexit until a slight softening in its line following a recent change in editors, was among the most sympathetic to the prime minister.
It called out “saboteurs” within her party, asking “Have they lost the plot?”
The Sun headline played off a comment about cricket made during the press conference on Thursday. The staunchly pro-Brexit paper declared May was on a “sticky wicket,” and it used a photo of her grimacing and putting her hand to her head.
