Theresa May resigns: Boris Johnson threatens no-deal Brexit as prominent Conservatives announce bids to replace PM
MPs pay tribute to ‘dignified’ prime minister as leadership race intensifies
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Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May announced her resignation in an emotional speech on Friday, in which she said she would stand down as Conservative party leader on 7 June.
Ms May said she had “done my best” in a speech from Downing Street, before the Tory party announced a new prime minister would be in No.10 by 31 July.
Watched by husband Philip, Ms May’s voice cracked as she said it had been “the honour of my life” to serve as PM and she felt “enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love”.
In an apparent warning to the Conservative Party not to pursue a no-deal Brexit after she goes, Ms May said her successor will need to pursue compromise to find a way of delivering the result of the 2016 referendum and taking the UK out of the EU in a way that protects jobs, security and the Union.
But Tory leadership contenders are now ramping up their efforts to replace her, ahead of the official start of the contest.
Boris Johnson emerged as the bookmakers’ favourite to succeed Ms May, as Jeremy Hunt and Sir Graham Brady announced they would stand.
Mr Johnson said the prime minister had been “patient and stoical” in her failed attempt to solve the Brexit crisis.
“The job of our next leader in the UK, he or she, is to get out of the EU properly and put Brexit to bed,” Mr Johnson said.
“We will leave the EU on 31 October, deal or no deal,” the former foreign secretary said, adding a second referendum on EU membership would be a “very bad idea”.
Conservative MPs also paid tribute to the dignified manner in which Theresa May announced her departure.
“Delivering Brexit was always going to be a huge task,” said Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
“But one she met every day with courage and resolve...a true public servant.”
Additional reporting by agencies
If you would like to see how the day’s news from Westminster unfolded, please see what was our live coverage below:
Downing Street inadvertently confirmed that Theresa May is to make an imminent statement by mistakenly sending out an email to political reporters.
The email, headlined “Prime Minister Theresa May statement, 24 May 2019”, stated “Please see below a Checked Against Delivery version of the Prime Minister’s statement this morning. This is for immediate release”, but was otherwise blank.
As it arrived in email inboxes around Westminster, the lectern bearing the prime ministerial crest was in place outside the famous black door of 10 Downing Street.
It must be close. Larry the No. 10 cat has been lifted inside before Theresa May comes out to make her announcement.
Here we go. Theresa May has left No.10 and has arrived at the podium to make her big announcement to the British people.
It’s all over. Theresa May has announced her resignation. Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, she revealed she will step down as Conservative party leader on 7 June, sparking a contest to find her successor.
A tearful Theresa May said she had “done my best” to get her Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament and take the UK out of the European Union but acknowledged she had failed.
“It is and will always remain a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit,” she said.
Watched by husband Philip and her closest aides, an emotional Mrs May said it was in the “best interests of the country for a new prime minister to lead that effort”.
Announcing her departure from a job she loved, Mrs May said: “I am today announcing that I will resign as leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party on Friday 7 June so that a successor can be chosen.”
Concluding her resignation statement, Mrs May broke down as she said it had been “the honour of my life” to serve “the country that I love”.
The moment the outgoing prime minister broke down in tears, just as she finished her speech.
(Reuters)
Chief of Staff Gavin Barwell says it’s been “an honour to serve” Theresa May as PM.
More reaction to the resignation.
Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, said: “I want to pay tribute to the PM today. Delivering Brexit was always going to be a huge task, but one she met every day with courage & resolve.
“NHS will have an extra £20bn thanks to her support, and she leaves the country safer and more secure. A true public servant.”
Andrea Leadsom, who resigned as Commons Leader on Wednesday, tweeted: “A very dignified speech by Theresa May. An illustration of her total commitment to country and duty. She did her utmost, and I wish her all the very best.”
David Mundell, the Scottish secretary, said: “I am very sorry it has come to this. Nobody could have worked harder, or shown a greater sense of public duty, in delivering the result of the EU referendum than Theresa May.
“Yesterday's elections will surely show that delivering Brexit is now more urgent than ever, and that will fall to a new Prime Minister. It's time to get on with the process of appointing one.”
Liz Truss, chief secretary to the treasury, tweeted: "Very dignified statement from the Prime Minister. She has put her all into the job and has shown huge resilience at this difficult time.”
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