Theresa May announces resignation

Prime Minister Theresa May has announced she will resign from office on June 7th.

In an emotional speech, May said that it is now in the best interests of the country to have new leadership to oversee Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union.

“I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honour of my life to hold. I do so with no ill-will, but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love,” she said.

May will remain as Prime Minister for the upcoming visit of President Trump to the UK next week, with a leadership contest following on June 10th.

With the timetable set out by May this morning, the UK could have a new Prime Minister as early as July.

May said that the next leader should not shift the party to the right.

“To succeed, he or she will have to find consensus in Parliament where I have not. Such a consensus can only be reached if those on all sides of the debate are willing to compromise.”

The news comes the day after voters went to the polls to elect new representatives for the European Parliament, an election that wasn’t expected to take place as Britain was due to leave the EU on March 29th.

Daniel Hannan, a Conservative MEP, has said he expects the Conservatives to perform poorly and may not have a single MEP when results are announced on Sunday night.

Thank you to everyone who voted for the @Conservatives today. My sense, for what it's worth, is that we are facing a total wipeout – zero MEPs. I just hope our next leader can get Brexit over the line.

— Daniel Hannan (@DanielJHannan) May 23, 2019

Theresa May is now the shortest serving Conservative Prime Minister since Sir Anthony Eden, who became Prime Minister in 1955 and oversaw the Suez Crisis.