May becomes the second female prime minister in the history of the United Kingdom after Margaret Thatcher who ruled between 1979 and 1990.
Advertisement
There was going to be a leadership battle between Mrs May and fellow Conservative MP Andrea Leadsom until she suddenly pulled out of the race earlier this week.
Mrs May inherits a government transformed in less than a month by the referendum vote for Britain to leave the European Union which lead to her predecessor David Cameron resigning as leader.
May, who had favored a vote to stay in the European Union, must now decide when and how to start official divorce proceedings from the other 27 countries, who are pressing her to move quickly to lift the uncertainty now hanging over them all.
Theresa May emerged from Buckingham Palace as Britain’s second female prime minister, after paying the traditional visit to the Queen to be invited to form a government.
Mrs May made clear that, despite backing Remain in the recent referendum campaign, she intended to make good on her promise that “Brexit means Brexit”.
She arrived at the Palace by ministerial auto, having set off from the House of Commons only after receiving the signal that Mr Cameron’s resignation had been accepted by the Queen and that he had advised her to appoint Mrs May in his place.
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.
Cameron, 49, will be the youngest prime minister to leave office since the Earl of Rosebery in 1895. Britain’s surprise vote to leave Europe and so many resignations, it seemed Larry the Downing Street cat was the only one left standing. “I know because we’re Great Britain that we will rise to the challenge”.
Gesturing across the room and up to his wife, Samantha, watching from the gallery, he said: “I will miss the roar of the crowd, I will miss the barbs from the opposition, but I will be willing you on”.
The new Prime Minister has stressed the need to unite the country as it leaves the European Union and May has promised to “make Brexit a success” through a variety of measures.
At around 5pm (midnight Singapore time), after making a final statement outside the prime minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street, Mr Cameron arrived at Buckingham Palace to formally hand in his resignation to the Queen.
“As well as steady leadership and calm professionalism I think she will also bring unity”. “We must make Britain a country that works for everyone”, she said.
“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.
“I don’t detect Theresa May being an impulsive person”, Travers said.
She said: “I know you’re working around the clock, I know you’re doing your best and I know sometimes it can be a struggle”.
May is Britain’s second female prime minister after the late Margaret Thatcher.
Advertisement
He dismissed suggestions that he would look to take over as Top Gear host or England football manager, saying the roles “sound even harder” than being prime minister.
