May also noted the need “to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU” in brief comments outside parliament.
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Although he is seen as a eurosceptic, he backed the “Remain” campaign in last month’s referendum which ended in a shock vote for Britain to leave the EU.
U.K. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Andrea Leadsom lacks the global credentials to be prime minister as the Tory leadership candidate drew fire at home for suggesting motherhood makes her better qualified than her rival, Theresa May.
In this two photo combo, showing the two contenders to become the leader of the Conservative Party and assume the post of Britain’s Prime Minister, with Theresa May, left, dated July 5, 2016, and Andrea Leadsom, right, dated July 4, 2016.
Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 Committee – a committee of Conservative backbench members of Parliament – said he must formally confirm May as the new Conservative Party leader.
Britain is set to have a new prime minister on Wednesday.
If so, she could be prime minister within days. She tepidly backed remaining in the European Union in a single speech, then remained largely out of sight as the behemoths of the Conservative Party – including Cameron and Justice Secretary Michael Gove – did each other in.
May will become Britain’s second female PM after Margaret Thatcher.
And she paid tribute to Mrs. Leadsom for her “dignity” in withdrawing her leadership bid, as well as to the three other candidates who ran in the contest.
“We now don’t need to have a prolonged period of transition”, he told reporters Monday outside 10 Downing Street, the prime minister’s office and residence.
“I have said all along that this election needs to be a proper contest”.
She didn’t support the movement to see the United Kingdom pull out of the world’s largest free trade bloc, but she has vowed to respect the will of the people expressed in the landmark referendum, assuring the nation that “Brexit means Brexit”.
“It is simply inconceivable that Theresa May should be crowned prime minister without even having won an election in her own party, let alone the country”, said Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron.
“I will make sure that we leave the European Union”, said May, who has promised to begin formal talks to leave the EU by the end of the year at the earliest despite pressure from EU leaders to speed up.
She is also facing calls from opposition politicians to call an early election, before the next scheduled vote in 2020.
“What’s in her favour is that Labour are in such a mess”, he said.
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“She is in a position of leading a country which wants to have its cake and eat it – which wants to leave the European Union but yet have access to the single market without free movement of people”, said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London.
