POLITICO: Theresa May steps down in emotional Downing Street speech

24 May 2019

An emotional Theresa May announced she will resign as Conservative Party leader on June 7, triggering a rapid-fire battle to replace her as Tory leader and prime minister before Britain’s scheduled departure from the EU on October 31.

After six months of failed attempts to get her Brexit divorce package ratified by parliament, the U.K. prime minister finally accepted defeat Friday, accepting a new leader is needed to resolve the U.K.’s protracted Brexit process.

The announcement draws to a close one of the most tumultuous and unsuccessful premierships in modern British history, leaving an almost unprecedented challenge for her successor, who must find a way through the impasse where she has failed.

The front-runners to replace May in No. 10 Downing Street will be under enormous pressure from grassroots Conservative Party members to take a more hard-line approach to Brexit, raising the prospect of a no-deal exit later this year despite a clear majority in parliament opposed to such an outcome. [...]

Downing Street insiders believe a general election is all-but inevitable, likely pitting a Conservative leader committed to a no-deal Brexit against Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn, who is under pressure to unequivocally back a second referendum on Britain’s withdrawal. [...]

Full article on POLITICO

Related article on Bloomberg: Crowded Race for U.K. May's Job; Gove, Leadsom, Hancock Jump In

Related article on BBC: Tory leadership: Raab sets out leader bid as Gove joins race


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