May will become Britain’s second female prime minister on Wednesday (13 July) after Andrea Leadsom, her last rival in the Tory leadership race, made a decision to drop out “in the interests of our country” before the final vote could take place. But, to be fair to Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, the whole European Union referendum campaign was about getting rid of unelected Brussels bureaucrats, which is why the United Kingdom will apparently have an “unelected” prime minister later this week.
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It is the latest twist in Britain’s political saga that ensued after the “Brexit” vote.
Britain’s new Conservative Party leader Theresa May speaks to members of the media at The St Stephen’s entrance to the Palace of Westminster in London.
Andrea Leadsom, her only opponent, withdrew her candidacy from the election on July 11, 2016 leading to May’s appointment with immediate effect.
The Daily Telegraph reports that the Camerons may have to move to the Prime Minister’s constituency home in Witney this week because their £3.5 million family house in Notting Hill was rented out while they lived in Downing Street.
David Cameron will chair his final cabinet meeting as prime minister later as Theresa May prepares to take over.
Cameron later announced she would take over from him on Wednesday, when he is expected to go and see Queen Elizabeth II to tender his resignation and recommend Home Secretary May as his successor.
In November previous year, Szydlo was elected prime minister of Poland after she led her party to success in both the presidential and parliamentary elections.
While May supported Britain staying in the European Union, she cut a low profile during the referendum campaign and insists she will honour the popular vote, stressing: “Brexit means Brexit”.
“We discussed our absolute determination, which brings us all together as Tories, to tackle the problems of deprivation”, she said.
Mays sudden victory came when Leadsom, the energy minister, stepped down from the Conservative leadership race after a weekend furor over comments in which she appeared to say being a mother gave her an advantage over May, who has no children.
Camerons resignation announcement the day after the June 23 referendum triggered the Tory leadership race.
With the Conservatives, however, if there are more than two nominations (this year there were initially five) then there is a series of votes just among MPs to whittle them down to two. She could not have known that she was barely 60 hours away from taking up residence in 10 Downing Street, but she sounded so confident of seeing off Andrea Leadsom that she did not try to pitch her appeal to hard line Tories, but instead tried to reassure potential Tory voters that her election would not mean a return of the “nasty party” – her old description of how other people saw the Conservatives.
“I’m also delighted that Theresa May will be the next prime minister”, Cameron declared.
“She’s certainly a person who knows her own mind, on the other hand, unlike Margaret Thatcher, she’s very she pragmatic”.
May became the only contender after Andrea Leadsom – who had stirred a storm for suggesting she was more qualified to be premier because she had children – abruptly quit the race on Monday.
It was also announced that she will be confirmed by a panel on Wednesday. “We must have an immigration system that allows us to control who comes into our country.” she said.
“She will have my full support”, he added.
Meanwhile Tuesday was set to be a key date in the history of the main opposition Labour Party, whose embattled leader Jeremy Corbyn – hugely popular with the party membership – is facing a leadership challenge after losing the confidence of three quarters of Labour MPs.
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The left-of-centre party’s rulebook states a leadership challenger requires the support of 20 percent of Labour MPs and members of the European Parliament.
