European nations have piled pressure on the United Kingdom to begin immediate talks on withdrawal from the EU after the vote for Brexit, with France’s foreign minister suggesting a new prime minister could be put in place within days.
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Rochford and Southend East MP James Duddridge, who also serves under Mr Cameron as a Foreign Officer minister, backed Leave but called on the prime minister to stay on before the announcement. “There is no need to invoke Article 50”, the clause that begins the process of extricating a country from the EU.
But other members of his party – including former London Mayor Boris Johnson – campaigned for a “Leave” vote.
He announced that he would stay on in a caretaker capacity but expected a new leader to be in place by the time of the Conservative Party conference.
He added: “We can not turn our backs on Europe”.
Germany’s foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said negotiations should begin “as soon as possible” and Britain had a responsibility to work with the European Union on exit terms, while his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault agreed there was “a certain urgency.so that we don’t have a period of uncertainty, with financial consequences, political consequences”.
Most likely is Theresa May, the Home Secretary. “I think he would be great as an worldwide ambassador for the country because he is flamboyant, British and confident”.
He said: “I will do everything I can as Prime Minister to steady the ship over the coming weeks and months, but I don’t think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination”.
The Prime Minister announced his decision outside 10 Downing Street hours after Leave secured a shock victory in the historic referendum and minutes after the markets opened with carnage in the City of London.
“I am confident that we will do this with our customary calm, integrity and commitment”, he said.
On the other side of the aisle, British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sacked his shadow foreign secretary, Hilary Benn, on Sunday, The Observer newspaper said, after it revealed he was preparing to lead a coup against the party boss.
He added: “Britain is a special country – we have so many great advantages – a parliamentary democracy where we resolve great issues about our future through peaceful debate, a great trading nation with our science and arts, our engineering and our creativity, respected the world over”.
The political turmoil was not limited to the Government and the Conservative Party.
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“Honestly, I think he would be good because he would be protected by more experienced politicians who know how to play the game”, said Middleton, 44. “Fine by me”, he said.
