May will be reshuffling her cabinet after she meets the Queen at Buckingham Palace where the monarch will formally invite her to take over as Prime Minister. “And then we looked forward to getting back to work”, the leading Brexit campaigner told Sky News.
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German Chancellor Merkel will be May’s most important counterpart on the continent as the Brexit process unfolds. Both women are renowned for their firmness, pragmatism and discipline.
Her rapid ascent to the top of Britain’s political establishment has left her just 48 hours to work out who she wants around her as she takes the United Kingdom out of the European Union after June’s referendum vote to leave the 28 member bloc.
Her main rival, Andrea Leadsom, got out of the race yesterday, thereby handing the highest elected office in the country to May.
Theresa May, who has been an interior minister for six years, backed the Remain camp.
European leaders have asked the United Kingdom government to move quickly to formalise its divorce from the EU but May has indicated she will not be rushed into triggering the formal procedure for Brexit. May is expected to unveil the new Cabinet lineup, including a minister in charge of implementing Brexit.
“She is strong, she is competent, she is more than able to provide the leadership that our country is going to need in the years ahead and she will have my full support”, he said.
Emerging from a bruising referendum which resulted in a vote to leave the European Union, the United Kingdom is searching for leaders.
While she supported Britain staying in the bloc, she maintained a low profile during the referendum campaign and insists she will honour the popular vote, stressing repeatedly: “Brexit means Brexit”.
“It’s something that we very much welcome”, he said.
Mr Cameron said he was “delighted that for the second time in British history the new Prime Minister will be a woman, and once again a Conservative”.
Stock markets traded within sight of their highest levels this year on Wednesday as the prospect of stimulative economic policy across the developed world eased immediate concerns over the impact of the Brexit vote.
Some suggest he will do a job swap with Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, who has long coveted the role at the Treasury.
Having served as home secretary since 2010, May said she was “honored and humbled” to become the new prime minister.
May faces a daunting job as prime minister, facing pressure from the European Union to start Brexit negotiations, salvage a plummeting economy and unite a divided nation.
May could face more trouble from dissenting Conservatives than from the Labour Party, which is in meltdown.
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Replying to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is facing his own leadership challenge from two Labour lawmakers, Cameron poked fun at Labour’s leadership turmoil, noting that the Tories had had “resignation, nomination, competition and coronation” while Labour is still working out the rules for its contest.
