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Theresa May latest WEF no-show as Brexit crisis bites

The Local
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Theresa May latest WEF no-show as Brexit crisis bites
Theresa May has just had (another) week to forget. Photo: PRU/AFP

UK Prime Minister Theresa May will not be attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos this month, a British government spokesperson announced on Thursday.

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Instead, May will be focusing on the political crisis at home after a week in which her Brexit Withdrawal Agreement was overwhelming rejected by British lawmakers and she narrowly survived a vote of no-confidence launched by the opposition Labour party.

By passing on the chance to attend the WEF meeting in Davos, May is joining a club of non-attendees that includes fellow embattled political leaders Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron.

The US president, who announced last week there would be no reprise of his 2018 visit to the Swiss ski resort, is currently engaged in a stand-off with Democratic MPs in the congress over funding for his much-touted wall along the US–Mexico border — a battle which has resulted in the longest-ever government shutdown in US history.

Meanwhile, the French president is also beset with problems as he attempts to deal with the so-called 'yellow vests' protest movement. A tenth day of national protests is set for Saturday

But the WEF meeting in Davos won't be short of big names. On the guest list are Brazil's new far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and German Chancellor Angela Merkel along with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Read also: Switzerland ramps up preparations for no-deal Brexit

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