Theresa May to become Britain's next prime minister
May is due to become the Conservative Party's leader, after party leader, Prime Minister David Cameron, announced his resignation in wake of Britain's vote to leave the EU; though she was initially against Brexit, May has since become an advocate for a clean break, in accordance to the people's vote.
British Home Secretary Theresa May is set to become the United Kingdom's next prime minister after her opponent dropped out of the race on Monday, leaving her the only candidate for the leadership of Britain's ruling Conservative Party.
May became the single and final candidate for the Conservative Party position after her only opponent, Minister of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change Andrea Leadsom, announced she was dropping out of the race on Monday.
Leadsom cited not having the necessary support from Parliament for her to stand a viable chance of wining the leadership.
"Strong leadership is needed urgently to begin the work of withdrawing from the European Union," Leadsom said in a statement to the press. "I wish Theresa May the very greatest success. I assure her of my full support."
Once she will be confirmed as Conservative leader, May will automatically become the new prime minister, replacing outgoing leader David Cameron, who resigned in June following Britain's vote to leave the European Union.
While she initially pushed for Britain to remain within the EU, May eventually changed her position following the referndum, saying that "Brexit means Brexit" and that if elected, she would make sure that Britain follow through and leave the EU.
In an earlier speech on Monday, May decribed her economic vision, calling for "a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few." She added that "In the coming weeks I will set out (how) to take our economy through this period of uncertainty, to get the economy growing strongly across all parts, to deal with Britain's long-standing productivity problem, to create more well-paid jobs, to negotiate the best terms for Britain's departure from the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world."
Minutes before Leadsom's announcement that she is dropping out f the Conservative leadership race, Opposition lawmaker Angela Eagle said she would challenge Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership of the Labour Party.
Corbyn has recently found himself in hot water over comments made by other members of his party seen as vehemently anti-Semitic, and with Corbyn himself being seen as anti-Israeli after comparing the Israeli government to ISIS.
After being elected last year with overwhelming support from grassroots Labour activists, Corbyn has more recently ignored a vote of no confidence from the party's lawmakers, saying he has a responsibility to carry out that mandate.
Though May has not yet confirmed, she has already received the support of Britain's right-leaning newpaper the Daily Mail, which endorsed her in an editorial posted online on Thursday, saying she could heal divisions exposed by the country's vote to leave the European Union. The editorial stated that "The Mail believes only Mrs. May has the right qualities, the stature and experience to unite both her party and the country, and possibly usher in a new, cleaner, more honest kind of politics."
The Daily Mail, owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust, is Britain's second biggest-selling newspaper, with a daily circulation of about 1.5 million.
