Conservative Party Leader Theresa May Set to Become Britain’s New Prime Minister

After last month’s tumultuous Brexit, British Prime Minister David Cameron announced his resignation from office, explaining that the British public’s choice to leave the European Union also signaled a needed change in leadership.

Less than a month after his resignation, Cameron’s replacement has been announced in new Conservative Party Leader Theresa May.

May announced her run for party leadership in late June. She ran against five other candidates, but the race quickly narrowed to be between her and Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom after a vote by Conservative Party members of parliament on July 7.

In a surprise move, Leadsom abruptly withdrew from the race this morning, only four days after becoming May’s direct opponent.

According to a statement Leadsom gave outside of her home, she simply did not have enough support to win the election and would rather see her country move forward with the Brexit decision rather than become entrenched in a political race.

“I have however concluded that the interests of our country are best served by the immediate appointment of a strong and well-supported Prime Minister,” said Leadsom before giving May her full support.

Cameron said he will officially step down from office this Wednesday, July 13, to allow May to begin her new position.

“She is strong, she is competent, she is more than able to provide the leadership that our country is going to need in the years ahead, and she will have my full support,” said Cameron.

Though May originally voted against the Brexit, she stated at a campaign rally this morning that she will honor the wishes of her people.

“Brexit means Brexit, and we’re going to make a success of it,” said May firmly. “There will be no attempts to remain inside the EU.”

Read one writer’s take on the benefits of Brexit here and consider what the decision could mean for the U.S. here.