Mr Cameron was accompanied by wife Samantha and children Nancy, Elwen and Florence as he left 10 Downing Street for the last time as Prime Minister.
Advertisement
By convention the Queen is above party politics and does not personally choose the prime minister, so Mr Cameron’s last duty was to advise her to invite Theresa May to form the next administration.
Earlier in the day, Mr Cameron took part in his 182nd and final Prime Minister’s Questions where the House of Commons paid tribute to the outgoing PM.
“First, the need for strong, proven leadership to steer us through what will be hard and uncertain economic and political times, the need, of course, to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the European Union, and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world”, she said.
He found time to congratulate Wimbledon victor Andy Murray and other British players there, and rebuffed rumours that he does not like Downing St.’s resident cat, Larry – “I do!”
Cameron resigned after Britons voted – against his advice – to leave the EU.
She is then expected to make her first official speech as British Prime Minister outside the same famous black door in London later on Wednesday evening.
In her first hours settling into her new role and new home, she made several key cabinet appointments, the Telegraph reports: replacing George Osborne with Philip Hammond as Chancellor of the Exchequer, appointing David Davis to a new position as Brexit Secretary, and notably inviting leading Brexit advocate and former London mayor Boris Johnson to be foreign secretary.
“It’s not been an easy journey and, of course, we’ve not got every decision right, but I believe we leave our country stronger”, he said before the handover of power to May.
Michael Gove, May’s one-time rival for the prime minister’s role who campaigned to leave the European Union alongside Johnson, was sacked as the justice secretary Thursday.
The UK has no trade negotiators to lead its European Union exit talks, a former government minister says.
“I am personally delighted at your appointment”, said Cardinal Nichols.
Cameron had earlier given his final speech as prime minister outside Number 10, saying the job had been “the greatest honour” of his life and that the United Kingdom was “much stronger” than when he took over. May, 59, is the queen’s 13th prime minister.
Theresa May has been appointed the UK’s second female Prime Minister. “And I know because we’re Great Britain that we will rise to the challenge”, she told reporters, flanked by her husband, Philip.
Advertisement
Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the EU Commission, said he “looked forward” to working closely with her in the wake of the Brexit vote, and wished Mrs May “every success”.
