Theresa May will become the UK’s new Prime Minister by Wednesday evening, after Andrea Leadsom’s withdrawal from the Conservative leadership race left the current home secretary as the only candidate to replace David Cameron.
The PM said in a statement outside No.10 that he would offer his resignation to the Queen on Wednesday after his final Prime Minister’s Questions.
He offered his imminent successor his “full support” and said she was “more than able to provide the leadership” the UK needs in the coming year as negotiations begin for exiting the European Union.
David Cameron will attend PMQs on Wednesday, and then visit the Queen before handing over to Theresa May that day https://t.co/Lbs15xXis7
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) July 11, 2016
Leadsom’s u-turn follows an apology she issued to May following comments suggesting being a mother made her a better candidate for Prime Minister.
Conservative Party Energy Secretary Andrea Leadsom talks to assembled press as she announces she is pulling out of the Conservative Party Leadership race. Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images
1922 Committee chairman Graham Brady said there was no chance ‘whatsoever’ of reopening the leadership race, leaving May the de facto choice for the Prime Minister position.
The 22 member Conservative Party board is now said to be at work to ensure a smooth and swift handover from David Cameron to Theresa May. At time of writing, the timing of handover is not clear, but May could be installed as Prime Minister by the end of the week.
Chris Grayling has said Mrs May is ‘enormously honoured’ to be entrusted with the task of leadership. She will make a statement late on Monday 11 July.
(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Following Leadsom’s decision, both the Labour and the Liberal Democrats have issued statements asking for an early General Election to be called.
Labour’s election co-ordinator, Jon Trickett, said: “It is crucial, given the instability caused by the Brexit vote, that the country has a democratically elected prime minister. I am now putting the whole of the party on a general election footing.”
Tim Farron, Lib Dem leader, said: “With Theresa May’s coronation we need an early general election. The Tories now have no mandate. Britain deserves better than this.”
With @TheresaMay2016's coronation we need an early General Election. The Tories now have no mandate. Britain deserves better than this.
— Tim Farron (@timfarron) July 11, 2016
Theresa May is on record as saying there should be a “proper contest” within the Tory party – but snap election of the whole nation before 2020 “would just introduce another destabilising factor”.
May, who campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union during the referendum, has also said that a second referendum vote would be unlikely with a new leader.
“Brexit means Brexit and we’re going to make a success of it.”
This story was updated at 17:14 on Monday, June 11Â
