The charm falls very flat as Mrs May manages to offend the very people she needs to persuade to vote for her Brexit deal.
When Tony Blair's government was introducing its unpopular tuition fees policy, quick-witted education secretary Alan Johnson announced he and his minister of state, the burly bruiser Charles Clarke, had embarked on a charm offensive to win over rebel MPs.
"You the public have had enough," she declared in a primetime broadcast that clashed with the medical drama Holby City and - even more unforgivable, aficionados would argue - Coronation Street. "You want this stage of the Brexit process to be over and done with. I agree. I am on your side. It is now time for MPs to decide."
The PM has shown she was"in complete denial", said Jeremy Corbyn."Pointless," said Nicolas Sturgeon."Disgraceful," said wavering Labour MP Lisa Nandy. The Labour MP Wes Streeting even said the PM's statement was"incendiary and irresponsible" because of death threats to MPs.So just what was the point of this broadcast?No doubt those in the PM's inner circle will say it was to appeal over the heads of the bickering MPs to the voters. She told viewers, after all, that polling evidence suggests voters back her deal.
Despite frenzied speculation at Westminster and bookies stopping taking odds on one, there was nothing about a general election.And there was only a brief mention of a referendum:"You don't want a referendum and neither to I," she said.She was 15 minutes late for her broadcast, because her meetings with MPs in the Commons overran. And they didn't go smoothly, either.and refused to attend because Chuka Umunna and Anna Soubry had turned up, representing The Independent Group.
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