May Loses ‘Human Shield’ Ahead of Big Brexit Week

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The shocking thing about the U.K. premier losing her sixth cabinet minister in as many months is how normal it's become. It's just another day in the life of Theresa May.

Yet the scandal over deportation targets that claimed the scalp of Home Secretary Amber Rudd is particularly problematic for May given that many of the policies under attack were set when she oversaw that department.

It was she who created the “hostile environment” for illegal immigrants, a legacy that is coming apart with stinging revelations that an older generation of Caribbean migrants brought in during the postwar reconstruction was threatened with deportation for not being able to prove their residency status.

For two weeks, Rudd acted as May's human shield. Her departure will now make the premier the direct target. But she also served a bigger purpose. As the U.K. prepares to leave the European Union, she was a key voice countering pro-Brexit heavyweights.

Rudd's departure upsets a delicate balance at the top of May's team. Her successor, Sajid Javid, is a euroskeptic and that could tip the scales in favor of a harder Brexit.

Global Headlines

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Clock ticking | On a swing through Riyadh, Tel Aviv, and Amman in his first trip as the top U.S. diplomat, Pompeo said the U.S. will exit the Iran nuclear deal if the “flawed” accord can't be fixed to its satisfaction. French President Emmanuel Macron and his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, spoke for an hour yesterday, and agreed to work together to preserve the agreement. The flurry of diplomacy comes as a May 12 deadline approaches for the U.S. decision.

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And finally... These days, running a large U.S. city isn't just about potholes, collecting garbage and parking fines. Democratic mayors now have jobs that include dealing with immigration, police violence and other national issues that may boost their prospects as the party seeks a candidate to try and unseat Trump in 2020. Henry Goldman and Elise Young take a closer look at contenders including New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu - who's promoting a book about his 2017 decision to take down Confederate monuments.

--With assistance from Kathleen Hunter

To contact the author of this story: Flavia Krause-Jackson in London at fjackson@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Williams at mwilliams108@bloomberg.net, Caroline Alexander

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