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Conservative leadership: Andrea Leadsom pulls out of race Conservative leadership: Andrea Leadsom pulls out of race
(35 minutes later)
Andrea Leadsom has withdrawn from the race to be leader of the Conservative party, leaving Theresa May apparently uncontested for the job of next prime minister. Andrea Leadsom has pulled out of the race to become the next Conservative leader in the “best interests of the country”, paving the way for Theresa May to be crowned prime minister.
The dramatic development came in a statement issued by Leadsom, the energy minister, shortly after midday. She admitted that she has been left “shattered” by the contest in which she has faced an outpouring of anger following her comments about motherhood. Warning that a nine-week leadership contest would destabilise the country at a critical time following the Brexit vote, Leadsom added: “Business needs certainty, a strong and unified government must move quickly to set out what an independent UK’s framework for business looks like.”
The energy minister was shaken by the scale of the response to a newspaper interview in which she suggested that the fact she was a mother meant she had a larger stake in society than her opponent, Theresa May. Graham Brady, the chair of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, said he would now formally confirm May as the new leader of the Conservative party. That will clear the path for the home secretary to become prime minister.
Leadsom admitted that she was left in tears at the weekend after a stream of colleagues attacked her on television and in newspapers, with claims that she was inexperienced and had been insensitive. Leadsom said the support of 84 MPs was a great expression of confidence but admitted that it was less than 25% of the parliamentary party and not sufficient support if she were to win the ballot of Conservative members.
An hour before the statement, May, the home secretary, had launched her national leadership campaign with a speech in Birmingham where she presented herself as the candidate of unity and experience who will “make a success” of Brexit. “Strong leadership is needed immediately,” added Leadsom, praising her opponent, and adding that May would honour the result of the Brexit referendum.
Graham Brady, the chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, is set to make a statement about the leadership contest on the steps of the St Stephen’s entrance to parliament at 12.30pm. Leadsom, who campaigned to leave the EU, that she believed the home secretary would act upon the wishes of the public.
Anna Soubry, the business minister, said Leadsom’s comments meant she was not “PM material” and called on her to pull out for her own sake and her party’s. “I believe that in leaving the EU a bright future awaits,” she said. “Theresa May won the support of 60% of Tory colleagues. She is ideally placed to implement Brexit on the best possible terms for the British people and she has promised she will do so.”
Leadsom had been shaken by the scale of the response to a newspaper interview in which she suggested that the fact she was a mother meant she had a larger stake in society than May.
Related: Andrea Leadsom quits leadership race, paving the way for May to become PM - Politics live
She admitted that she was left in tears at the weekend after a stream of colleagues attacked her on television and in newspapers, with claims that she was inexperienced and had been insensitive.
An hour before the statement, May had launched her national leadership campaign with a speech in Birmingham where she presented herself as the candidate of unity and experience who will make a success of Brexit.
Anna Soubry, the business minister, said Leadsom’s comments on motherhood meant she was not “PM material” and called on her to pull out for her own sake and that of the party.
There were also claims, denied by MPs, that up to 20 Conservatives might resign if she became prime minister. And a source in the Vote Leave campaign called her “Andrea Loathsome” and said it was a “joke” to suggest she was a high-profile figure in the campaign.There were also claims, denied by MPs, that up to 20 Conservatives might resign if she became prime minister. And a source in the Vote Leave campaign called her “Andrea Loathsome” and said it was a “joke” to suggest she was a high-profile figure in the campaign.
Iain Duncan Smith said Leadsom had become the victim of Tory establishment “black ops”, arguing that “project fear” had morphed into “project smear”. Some suggested that Leadsom never meant to be the leading Brexit candidate in the final two, as she expected Boris Johnson to play that role.Iain Duncan Smith said Leadsom had become the victim of Tory establishment “black ops”, arguing that “project fear” had morphed into “project smear”. Some suggested that Leadsom never meant to be the leading Brexit candidate in the final two, as she expected Boris Johnson to play that role.
More details soon … She had also came under intense pressure over claims that she exaggerated positions that she had held in the City in her CV.