May to stay on as backbench MP

THERESA MAY has confirmed that she will stay on as a backbench MP after she formally hands over the party leadership in five weeks’ time.

The Prime Minister is currently interim Conservative leader while the party elects a successor. A result is expected in the week starting July 22.

At Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, Mrs May was urged to stay on in Downing Street by a Labour MP and not “cut and run” with “Parliamentary democracy in crisis”. Barry Sheerman said he had been tracking her “impressive career for 22 years”, ever since she made her maiden speech having been first elected in 1997.

He asked: “Will she change her mind about cutting and running? With her integrity, her experience, indeed can I say her moral compass, this parliamentary democracy is in crisis. Why can’t she stay here, even come on the backbenches and give some of the people who will take over from her a bit of the medicine that they’ve given her?” In reply, Mrs May confirmed she would not be leaving Parliament altogether when she left No10, saying: “I will indeed be staying here as I will continue to be the Member of Parliament for my constituency. Can I also say I am a woman of my word. I gave my word to my party as to what I would do, and I stand by that word.”

Her predecessor, David Cameron, quit as party leader in July 2016 after losing the EU referendum. He stood down as an MP in September of that year.