In Thatcher’s footsteps: May to be Brexit PM

‘ Emotional’ Cameron chairs last Cabinet meet

Britain’s Prime Minister in waiting Theresa May is a pragmatist who has emerged from the chaos of the Brexit referendum unscarred, portraying herself as the one who will lead the country out of the EU.

The country’s second female leader after fellow Conservative and anti- EU firebrand Margaret Thatcher, Ms May was officially — but unenthusiastically — in favour of Britain staying in the European Union.

She kept a low profile throughout the campaign, and when the June 23 referendum delivered a shock “Leave” result, stepped into the political vacuum left by David Cameron’s decision to quit.

She insists “Brexit means Brexit”.

Although Ms May trounced her rivals for the premiership, she faces an uphill struggle to unite a country and a party deeply split by the referendum.

She has been labelled, in an unguarded moment, a “bloody difficult woman” by senior Conservative Kenneth Clarke.

But the 59- year- old claims this is the very quality which will stand her in good stead for the battles ahead.

“The next person to find that out will be Jean- Claude Juncker,” she reportedly told MPs, referring to Brexit negotiations with the European Commission president.

The 59- year- old will have to keep Leave- supporting Conservative heavyweights onside if she is to heal the splits in the party caused by the referendum.

She has been fiercely private about her life in a way that is unusual for modern politicians. — AFP London, July 12: An “emotional” British Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday chaired his last Cabinet meeting before handing over the baton to Theresa May who will assume charge on Wednesday, becoming the UK’s second woman premier after Margaret Thatcher.

Mr Cameron will cede power to 59- year- old Ms May after visiting Buckingham Palace to resign on Wednesday. Ms May will become the UK’s second female Prime Minister after Thatcher whose tenure was from 1979 to 1990.

In one of the final tasks of his premiership, Mr Cameron on Tuesday gathered his top team for a final time. The meeting was described as “emotional” by culture secretary John Whittingdale who said “there was a touch of sadness” to the Prime Minister and his ministers.

Mr Cameron had announced he would be stepping down for a new PM to take the Brexit negotiations forward with the European Union a day after the June 23 vote in favour of Britain leaving the economic bloc.

“It was emotional but quite rightly we spent a lot of time on the government business. But then we had a period in which people paid tribute to the extraordinary service the PM has given, led off by George Osborne and Ms May our new PM,” Mr Whittingdale told Sky News. — PTI