Theresa May

Jon Sterngass

Description

In 2016, the British people voted in favor of Brexit, or Great Britain leaving the European Union. Immediately following that vote, Prime Minister David Cameron resigned, and the task of handling Brexit ultimately landed in the hands of Theresa May. May had previously been a Parliamentarian and, later, Britain's Home Secretary, cultivating a reputation for being a force for modernization in the Conservative Party. Brexit, however, has proven to be a difficult and convoluted task, even for the capable and hardworking May.

Enhanced by a timeline, bibliography, and suggestions for further reading, Theresa May is a fascinating account of the life and career of Britain's second female prime minister.

Sujets

• Conservative
• Histoire
• Reino Unido
• Politician
• United Kingdom
• Politics
• Conservatism
• British
• World
• History
• Royaume-Uni

Informations

• Publié par: Infobase Publishing
• Date de parution: 01 juin 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781438185781
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Theresa May
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Contents Chapters The Poisoned Chalice The Vicar’s Daughter Politics Captured Me The Nasty Party Working in a Political Graveyard Brexit History Will Judge Support Materials Timeline Bibliography Further Resources About the Author Learn More About The Big Bang
Chapters
The Poisoned Chalice
A Shocking Vote
On June 24, 2016, the people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland woke up to shocking news. The day before, the people had voted on a simply worded question: "Should the United Kingdom (UK) remain a member of the European Union (EU) or leave the European Union?" The vote attracted widespread attention and the outcome had been expected to be close, but everyone—polls, newspapers, politicians, and even "Leave" supporters—thought that the "Remain" side would win. 
More than 30 million people voted, almost 73 percent of eligible voters. When all the votes were counted, to the amazement of the world as well as to almost half of Britain's own citizens, the people voted 51.89 percent to 48.11 percent to exit the European Union. A sense of astonishment spread across the nation. Confused newscasters and politicians sounded as if they could not believe the results. 
The EU is an economic and political partnership involving more than 25 European countries. It began after World War II to boost European economic cooperation based on the idea that countries that trade together are less likely to go to war with each other.The UK was not an original member but joined in the first wave of EU expansion in 1973. Now, after 43 years, Britain would be leaving. This amazing political upheaval is known as "Brexit"—the British exit from the EU.
More than 17 million people voted to leave the EU. But what did that vote mean? Was it an act of liberation act that would free Britain from the EU's rules and bureaucracy and breathe new life into the country? Or was it a sign of irrational anger by communities that felt left behind by the globalization of the economy, encouraged by false promises and fear of foreigners. No one was quite sure how to interpret the vote and the answer depended almost completely on who was asked.
That fateful morning, Prime Minister David Cameron spoke to the nation. Only a year before, the Conservative Party had won their first majority in a general election for 23 years. That election had been a personal triumph for Cameron. However, it had been the prime minister who had decided, against a great deal of advice, to hold the Brexit vote in the first place. Like everyone else, Cameron had felt there was little risk of the "Leavers" winning.
If the British people expected reassuring words from Cameron, an experienced politician who had been prime minister for six years, they were quickly disappointed. Cameron listed the achievements of his time in office and then promptly resigned. "The British people have made a very clear decision to take a different path," he said, "and as such, I think the country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction." Who would replace him in this moment of crisis?

British newspaper front pages reporting that Prime Minister David Cameron resigned after the EU Referendum, June 25, 2016.
Source: Shutterstock.
The Leadership Battle
The Conservative Party and the Labour Party are the two largest political parties in the United Kingdom and have provided all of the country's prime ministers since 1935. Because the Conservative Party had a majority in the House of Commons in 2016, most people expected the new prime minister to be the most prominent "Leaver" in the party. That would be Boris Johnson, the self-proclaimed leader of the "Leave" campaign. Johnson was a former journalist, mayor of London, and MP (Member of Parliament) who inspired love in some and contempt in others. Supporters praised him as an entertaining and popular figure; critics accused him of dishonesty and racism.

Mayor of London at the time, Boris Johnson speaking at a "Vote Leave" rally in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, April 16, 2016.
Source: Shutterstock.
Johnson was supported by his old friend, Michael Gove, another backer of the "Leave" campaign. Gove had already served as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice and was now campaign manager for Johnson's drive to become prime minister. In the popular mind, Gove lacked the appeal to be prime minister but would help control the more impulsive Johnson.
The other frontrunner was Theresa May, first elected as the MP for Maidenhead in 1997 and more recently Home Secretary since 2010. May had voted to remain in the EU during the election. In one speech, she declared, "Remaining inside the European Union does make us more secure, it does make us more prosperous and it does make us more influential beyond our shores."
However, she took almost no part in the campaign and was known to be a "Eurosceptic," someone suspicious of the benefits of the EU. Some people believed that the next prime minister should be a "Leaver," but May offered an alternative, a unity candidate whose appeal was her capability. Some "Remainers" were demanding a second vote but May rejected that option. "The campaign was fought," she admitted "and the public gave their verdict. There must be no attempts to remain inside the EU, no attempts to rejoin it through the back door. Brexit means Brexit."
Instead, May declared that she could provide strong leadership and a positive vision for the UK's future outside of the EU. "I know I'm not a showy politician," May said. "I don't tour the television studios. I don't gossip about people over lunch. I don't go drinking in Parliament's bars...I just get on with the job in front of me. And you can judge me by my record."
Still, Boris Johnson remained the favorite for the prime minister's position. Then, with only three hours left before nominations closed, Michael Gove suddenly announced he was withdrawing his support for Johnson, his friend for 30 years, and running himself. The announcement sent shockwaves through British politics. By the end of the day, Boris Johnson had withdrawn from the Conservative Party leadership race and Michael Gove's reputation for integrity was seriously damaged.
Five contenders remained for the leadership of the Conservative Party: Theresa May, Michael Gove, former Defense Secretary Liam Fox, Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb, and Minister of State Andrea Leadsom. May's supporters included a number of Cabinet ministers and she quickly emerged as the frontrunner. She won the first round of voting on July 5, receiving support from 165 MPs (50 percent), with Andrea Leadsom receiving 66 votes and Michael Gove only 48. The two candidates with the fewest votes, Liam Fox and Stephen Crabb, immediately dropped out and announced their support for May. On the second ballot two days later, May came in first place with a majority of 199 MPs (61 percent), compared with 84 for Leadsom and 46 for Gove, who was eliminated.
That left Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom to fight it out to become the country's next leader. Leadsom may have held a slight edge because she had voted for Britain to leave the EU whereas May was a reluctant "Remainer." However, Leadsom threw her advantage away when, a few days later, she suggested that she would make a better prime minister than May because she had children and May did not. In the following uproar, Leadsom withdrew from the leadership contest on July 11.
As the only remaining candidate, May was formally declared Leader of the Conservative Party that evening. Two days later, given the Conservative majority in Parliament, Queen Elizabeth II appointed Theresa May as the prime minister, only the second female British prime minister.

Theresa May delivers a speech outside the House of Commons, after it's been announced she will become the British prime minister, July 11, 2016.
Source: Newscom.
Doing the Job is More Important Than the Backstory
On July 11, 2016, May told the world's media that she was "honored and humbled" to become prime minister. Surrounded by members of Parliament and her husband Philip, she declared that her campaign had been about three things: "First, the need for strong, proven leadership to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times. The need, of course, to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world. Brexit means Brexit. And we are going to make a success of it."
Theresa May was not unknown to the British people but she hardly had the name recognition of Boris Johnson. As MP for Maidenhead for 19 years, she had attracted little notice other than a controversial speech in 2002 when she admitted that many Britons viewed the Conservatives as "the nasty party." As Home Secretary from 2010 to 2016, she struggled to reduce immigration and balance fears of terrorism with protection of civil liberties. She had not been a smashing success in the difficult position of Home Secretary, but she hadn't been a catastrophic failure either. She achieved a reputation, even among her opponents in Labour, as hard-working, well-prepared, and competent. Conservatives saw her as a "safe pair of hands." May projected caution and common sense, two very useful qualities at a time of national crisis.
Perhaps her greatest appeal was her lack of self-promotion. Unlike most politicians, May did not try to form political alliances