Exits and entrances as May bows out and starts Tory power battle
It was out with the old and in with the new this summer as Theresa May departed and Boris Johnson became Prime Minister. Rob Parsons reports.
MAY
With the popularity of the two main parties at a low ebb, both Tories and Labour are punished by voters in the local elections. The Conservatives suffer huge losses, with more than 1,200 of their councillors losing seats across the country. The Tories are virtually wiped out in the City of York and lose a number of councillors in Scarborough. Although Labour wins Calderdale for the first time since 2002, the party loses seats elsewhere in other leavebacking areas of Yorkshire.
Theresa May sacks Gavin Williamson as Defence Secretary despite his “strenuous” denial that he was responsible for an unprecedented leak of information from the National Security Council, amid calls for a criminal investigation into whether Scarborough-born Mr Williamson had breached the Official Secrets Act.
After months of strain, Theresa May finally bows to the inevitable and resigns as PM, triggering a race to succeed her, as her efforts to break the Brexit impasse fail. Earlier, talks with Labour aimed at hashing out a Brexit compromise deal collapse and senior Brexiteer Andrea Leadsom steps down from the Cabinet, saying: “I no longer believe that our approach will deliver on the referendum result.”
In the European elections, Labour and the Tories lose out as support for parties with a clear Brexit message surged. The results hand seats across the country to Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party, the Liberal Democrats and Greens. This was echoed in Yorkshire and the Humber, with the Brexit Party outperforming its national success, taking 36 per cent of the vote and three of the six MEP seats.
Rail Minister and Harrogate MP Andrew Jones launches a competition for community groups to come up with ideas for what to do with old ‘Pacer’ trains after they are taken out of action. Mr Jones later joins forces with Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry in order to defend the controversial HS2 programme.
JUNE
The Power Up The North
campaign is launched by The Yorkshire Post and more than 30 other newspapers and websites, challenging Britain’s political leaders to commit to a package of policy measures to turbocharge the North’s economy following decades of underinvestment.
The contenders to replace Theresa May set out their plans, with favourite Boris Johnson declaring: “I want to be the Prime Minister who does Northern Powerhouse Rail.” Michael Gove, Sajid Javid, Rory Stewart are all knocked out of the race, leaving Mr Johnson and Jeremy Hunt to fight it out.
A survey reveals that an overwhelming majority of rural voters think that the Conservatives do not understand life in the countryside and are demanding better representation from the next Prime Minister.
Transport Ministers face new embarrassment after confirmation that they will almost certainly break a promise to scrap the North’s notorious Pacer trains by the end of the year.
Theresa May says she is “very disappointed” with the BBC’s decision not to continue with free TV licences for the over-75s and urges the corporation to look again at the policy.
Messages of support are sent to Hull Labour politician and former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott after he is admitted to hospital in Hull because of a stroke.
JULY
Boris Johnson makes a series of sweeping changes at the top of government as he took over from Theresa May at Number 10. The new Prime Minister carries out a brutal cull of Mrs May’s Cabinet within hours of being asked to form a new government by the Queen, including sacking Transport Secretary Chris Grayling. He is urged by leading figures in the North to tackle the uncertainty engulfing Britain’s agricultural industry as he maintained farmers “will have the support they need” after Brexit.
The Yorkshire Post reveals that a plan to introduce London-style “pay-as-yougo” travel across the North of England is at risk of failure because of a lack of support from the region’s major bus companies.
Britain’s ambassador to the US is forced to quit following the leak of diplomatic dispatches critical of Donald Trump’s White House.
A leading Sheffield councillor apologises for the way his authority handled the city’s tree-felling saga which involved dozens of arrests, multiple court cases and the use of private security guards and police officers to support operations.
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell reveals that Labour would break up the Treasury and base part of it in the North if the party got into power.
Hundreds of families are expected to benefit from a change in the law that comes into force this month allowing them to take control of missing loved ones’ financial affairs. Claudia’s Law is named after York chef Claudia Lawrence, who vanished a decade ago.
Political rivals express their concern for troubled Sheffield Hallam MP Jared O’Mara after he announces plans to step down and trigger a by-election, though he later goes back on the decision.
Long-serving member of North Yorkshire county, Richmondshire district and Hawes parish councillor John Blackie dies after a long battle with cancer.
AUGUST
The Queen is forced into the centre of a political storm as Boris Johnson announces the suspension of Parliament, prompting fury from opposition leaders. The Prime Minister says he will temporarily close down the Commons from the second week of September until October 14. Meanwhile, the new PM makes promises to northern England, vowing to embrace further devolution and committing to a cross-party approach to tackling Britain’s social care crisis during a visit to HMP Leeds. On Brexit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel tells Mr Johnson he has 30 days to come up with an alternative solution to replace the Irish backstop.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announces that an inquiry led by former HS2 Ltd chairman Douglas Oakervee will consider “whether and how” the controversial scheme connecting London and the North should proceed. In the North, there are rows over the cost of a new station in Manchester to accommodate HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail. In a major speech in Manchester, Boris Johnson vows to deliver the LeedsManchester element of NPR.
Ministers are urged to release as much funding as possible to help communities devastated by violent flash floods in the Yorkshire Dales.
Plans for a low-tax ‘‘free port’’ on the edge of Yorkshire after the UK leaves the European Union take a step forward as the Government announced plans to set up 10 of the sites around the country.
I no longer believe our approach will deliver the referendum result.
Senior Tory Andrea Leadsom as she stands down from the Cabinet.