White House spokesman John Earnest said the United States congratulates May and he noted she is familiar to many in Washington. He says Obama is confident the USA will keep working to strengthen relations “irrespective of specific personalities”.
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Ayrault also predicted that Johnson has an uphill struggle ahead of him remarking that “now it’s him with his back against the wall to defend his country and to clarify his relationship with Europe”.
Former London Mayor Boris Johnson, the controversial leading voice of the successful campaign to leave the European Union, will become the country’s top diplomat as foreign secretary, while former Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond will take over as chancellor of the exchequer.
In a Thursday phone call from Paris, Kerry and Johnson “agreed that the U.S.-U.K. special relationship is as essential as ever” and pledged to work together as North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies in facing challenges.
Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street after being appointed foreign secretary.
He urged his successor, “a brilliant negotiator”, to “try to be as close to the European Union as we can be, for the benefits of trade, of co-operation and of security”. Asked late Wednesday whom he would apologize to first, Johnson said “the United States of America will be at the front of the queue”.
“If you think of what (Merkel)’s achieved, you know, there are still people who don’t rate her, are a bit dismissive, perhaps because of the way she looks and dresses”.
But, May also told European Union leaders that she needed time carry out the British exit, or Brexit.
“When we take the big calls, we will not listen to the mighty but you”.
Lew added said he has been “encouraged that there have been very pragmatic views expressed” in his meetings in Europe.
Apart from the complexities of severance without incurring injury, she will have to deal with some clear offence across the channel at Britain’s decision.
Justine Greening, formerly in charge of global development, is now education secretary and minister for women and equalities.
Theresa May formally took office as Britain’s second female prime minister on Wednesday, immediately appointing some of her top rivals for the job to top posts in her Cabinet.
He even poked fun at himself, reminding legislators of a barb he directed at then-Prime Minister Tony Blair more than a decade ago: “He was the future once”.
European Parliament President Martin Schulz said the EU would “work constructively” with the new British government. In a speech on July 11th she talked of more investment in infrastructure (though she is opposed to a third runway at Heathrow airport) and of the need to improve Britain’s lamentable productivity.
She addressed a sea of reporters outside her new residence at 10 Downing Street, outlining her plan to create a Britain “that works for everyone”.
“Brexit will deliver the circumstances that allow us to pursue an unfettered high growth strategy”, he said.
Technically, the Brexit minister title is secretary of state for exiting the European Union, and the role goes to Conservative Party MP David Davis.
Lawmakers rose from their upholstered green benches to give a cheer-filled standing ovation to the departing leader, who will remain a Conservative member of Parliament. She was quicker than most Tories to see which way the wind was blowing on issues such as gay marriage; in 2002 she warned that many voters saw the Conservatives as the “nasty party”. But what counted more was that, under pressure, she had shown her unfitness for the job in several gaffes, embroidering her financial career and hinting that, as a mother, she was better qualified than the childless Mrs May.
May rounded off her first handful of Cabinet appointments with the choice of Fox, a former defense secretary who ran against her to be Conservative Party leader. The Northern Ireland (Other OTC: IRLD – news) minister also quit.
“We have an incredibly tough, shrewd, determined and principled person to lead those negotiations for Britain”, Hunt told Sky News television.
May replaced David Cameron, who stood down Wednesday following the referendum in which Britain voted to leave the European Union, sparking political turmoil, and volatility on the financial markets.
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Newly appointed Treasury chief Philip Hammond, meanwhile, sought to reassure the markets and the public, saying there was no need for an emergency national budget, despite the question marks hanging over the British economy following the referendum.
