Britain's May wins PM race after pro-Brexit rival quits
Interior minister Theresa May will become Britain's prime minister on July 13, with the task of steering its withdrawal from the European Union, after rival Andrea Leadsom abruptly terminated her disastrous leadership campaign.
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Theresa May emerges with her husband Philip to speak to reporters after being confirmed as the leader of the Conservative Party and Britain's next Prime Minister outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, central London, July 11, 2016.
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May and Leadsom had been due to contest a ballot of grassroots Conservative party members, with the result to be declared by Sept. 9. But Leadsom unexpectedly quit on July 11 after a campaign dogged by ill-judged comments about her rival's lack of children and questions about whether she had exaggerated her CV.
"I am honored and humbled to have been chosen by the Conservative Party to become its leader," said May, who favored remaining in the EU but has made clear there is no going back on the result of the June 23 referendum.
"Brexit means Brexit, and we're going to make a success of it."
Earlier, Cameron told reporters in front of his 10 Downing Street residence that he expected to chair his last cabinet meeting on Tuesday and take questions in parliament on Wednesday before tendering his resignation to Queen Elizabeth.
"So we will have a new prime minister in that building behind me by July 13 evening," he said.
May will become Britain's second female prime minister, after Margaret Thatcher.
Her victory means that the complex process of extricating Britain from the EU will be led by someone from the losing side of the acrimonious referendum campaign. She has said Britain needs time to work out its negotiating strategy and should not initiate formal divorce proceedings before the end of the year.
In a speech earlier on July 11 in the city of Birmingham, May said there could be no second referendum and no attempt to rejoin the EU by the back door.
"As prime minister, I will make sure that we leave the European Union," she said.
The White House said U.S. President Barack Obama was confident that the "special relationship" between the United States and Britain would continue after May becomes prime minister.
