Theresa May became Britain’s prime minister on Wednesday with the task of leading it out of the European Union, and quickly named leading “Brexit” supporters including former London mayor Boris Johnson to key positions in her new government.
Advertisement
British Prime Minister Theresa May fired senior government ministers and appointed political rivals to senior roles as her first cabinet took shape on Thursday.
He played a key role in the extraordinary national dramas of the last few months, abandoning Cameron, who desperately tried to keep Britain in the European Union, and cheerfully becoming the public face of the Brexit campaign.
British Home Secretary Theresa May became prime minister Wednesday after an audience with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
On Thursday she followed up by removing the justice, education, culture and cabinet office ministers.
Making the case for Brexit in a speech in May, he said: “The first calling point of the U.K.’s negotiator in the time immediately after Brexit will not be Brussels, it will be Berlin, to strike the deal: absolute access for German cars and industrial goods, in exchange for a sensible deal on everything else”.
Other EU leaders are already pressuring Britain to open formal talks – and warning that the United Kingdom can not have access to the single European market without accepting free movement of EU citizens, a sticking point for many pro-Brexit Britons.
“When it comes to opportunity we won’t entrench the advantages of the fortunate few”.
He said it’s “critical that negotiations take place in a pragmatic and transparent and smooth manner, where both sides demonstrate flexibility in order to produce results that are the right outcome, that have mutually acceptable and. amicable outcomes”.
In her first address to the nation, May instantly distanced herself from former Prime Minister David Cameron’s government by declaring she would not “entrench the advantages of the fortunate few”, The Telegraph said.
However, she kept Michael Fallon on as defence minister, while former energy minister Amber Rudd was promoted to May’s old interior minister job.
Amber Rudd, 52, a former British energy minister, will play a key role in the country’s approach to immigration, the issue which is widely believed to have swayed the European Union vote to Leave.
David Cameron attended his 182nd and final Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons as UK Prime Minister.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve our country as prime minister over these last six years, and to serve as leader of my party for nearly 11 years”, he said.
Soon afterward the palace released a photo of May curtseying to the monarch at the palace.
May has run Britain’s home office for six years, dealing with policing, immigration and other tough issues. The looming Brexit has sent a chill through markets and the global business community.
Seen as a safe pair of hands who campaigned for Britain to remain in the EU, May swept to power promising a “bold new positive role” for Britain outside the bloc.
Not all believe her. As May spoke in front of her new residence, a small band of pro-Brexit demonstrators down the street chanted “Theresa May, don’t delay!”
Johnson’s role in Britain’s negotiations over its future relationship with the European Union is likely to be limited because May is expected to create a new ministerial post focused exclusively on Brexit issues. Those talks are expected to take as long as two years.
He said he wanted to end speculation that “somehow I don’t love Larry”. “I think she’s a cautious person, and the British political establishment needs to come to terms with this massive decision”.
Advertisement
After the humiliating loss in last month’s national referendum, Prime Minister Cameron announced plans to step down in October, but expedited his departure after Ms. May emerged from a multicandidate scramble to succeed him as head of the Conservative majority.
