Britain’s new Prime Minister, Theresa May has appointed a new cabinet soon after taking up office at 10 Downing Street, replacing David Cameron as he stepped down on Wednesday.
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May, 59, the second female prime minister after Margaret Thatcher (1979-1990), served as home secretary in the administration of David Cameron, whose premiership is the latest casualty in the political turmoil unravelling in the United Kingdom over the British vote to leave the EU (Brexit).
Just minutes after being invited by the Queen to form a Government, the new Prime Minister stressed her determination to preserve the Union between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In her first public address, May said that she follows “in the great footprints of a modern Prime Minister”, referring to her predecessor David Cameron.
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”.
After her appointment, May promised that Britain will leave the European Union and will be able to “forge a bold new positive role” for itself.
“It is something I always knew”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday thanked former British Prime Minister David Cameron in a valedictory message and congratulated his successor Mrs. Theresa May. “After all, as I once said, I was the future once”.
JUST three weeks since the country voted to leave the European Union, the country has a new Prime Minister.
He announced his resignation after Britain voted to leave the 28-member European Union in the June 23 referendum.
“This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, other than one meeting this afternoon with Her Majesty, the queen, the diary for the rest of my day is remarkably light”, Cameron said, to laughter from lawmakers.
Cameron, 49, resigned after voters rejected his advice and chose to leave the European Union.
After six years as premier, five of them in a coalition government and one as leader of a Conservative majority administration, Cameron maintained he had left Britain in better shape than when he took office.
Trying to reclaim his legacy from Brexit, Cameron said his government had cut the deficit, overseen economic growth and legalized same-sex marriage.
Putting crucial worldwide portfolios firmly in the hands of Brexit supporters was perhaps an astute move for May, who had argued, tepidly, for Britain to remain in the EU.
Speaking outside No 10, he said that he had “not got every decision right” but added: “I do believe that today, our country is much stronger”.
She met with the sovereign after David Cameron officially tendered his resignation following an emotional final farewell on the steps on Number 10.
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Leading Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson said he was “humbled” having been named new foreign secretary, in one of Mrs May’s first cabinet appointments.
