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| Theresa May Poised to Be Britain’s Next Premier as Andrea Leadsom Quits Race | Theresa May Poised to Be Britain’s Next Premier as Andrea Leadsom Quits Race |
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| LONDON — Theresa May, a relative moderate who has served for the last six years as home secretary, suddenly emerged victorious on Monday in the race to succeed David Cameron as Britain’s prime minister, bringing to an accelerated conclusion a political drama set off by the nation’s vote to leave the European Union. | LONDON — Theresa May, a relative moderate who has served for the last six years as home secretary, suddenly emerged victorious on Monday in the race to succeed David Cameron as Britain’s prime minister, bringing to an accelerated conclusion a political drama set off by the nation’s vote to leave the European Union. |
| Mr. Cameron said that the handover of power would be completed by Wednesday evening. Ms. May would be the second woman to lead Britain, after Margaret Thatcher, who served as prime minister from 1979 until 1990. | |
| In another day of fast-paced developments, Ms. May’s only rival to become leader of the Conservative Party and successor to Mr. Cameron, Andrea Leadsom, abruptly pulled out of the contest, saying she did not have sufficient support from the party’s members of Parliament. | |
| Ms. Leadsom withdrew after a weekend in which her candidacy was all but consumed by remarks she made in an interview suggesting that she was better qualified because she is a mother, which Ms. May is not. | |
| Conservative leaders quickly coalesced around Ms. May, ruling out the possibility of reopening the race to give the party’s rank-and-file members a choice. Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 committee of Conservative lawmakers, which sets the rules for party leadership contests, said that there was “no need to rerun the election,” and that Ms. May was now the only candidate. | Conservative leaders quickly coalesced around Ms. May, ruling out the possibility of reopening the race to give the party’s rank-and-file members a choice. Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 committee of Conservative lawmakers, which sets the rules for party leadership contests, said that there was “no need to rerun the election,” and that Ms. May was now the only candidate. |
| There appeared to be no hurdles to her ascension, especially after the two most prominent Conservatives behind the victory of the campaign to leave the European Union — Boris Johnson and Michael Gove — signaled their support for her. | |
| Ms. May, 59, is now set to take over at a time of immense upheaval for Britain. The nation must not only negotiate its withdrawal from the European Union, a process fraught with economic and political risks, but it must also hold itself together amid a clamor from Scotland for independence. Early signs are that Britain’s economy has already taken a substantial hit from the exit vote, or “Brexit.” | Ms. May, 59, is now set to take over at a time of immense upheaval for Britain. The nation must not only negotiate its withdrawal from the European Union, a process fraught with economic and political risks, but it must also hold itself together amid a clamor from Scotland for independence. Early signs are that Britain’s economy has already taken a substantial hit from the exit vote, or “Brexit.” |
| “The economy and businesses in UK and around the world need certainty so it is in everyone’s interest Theresa takes over as PM in coming days,” George Osborne, the chancellor of the Exchequer, wrote on Twitter. | |
| Hours before Ms. Leadsom, the 53-year-old energy minister, announced her decision to leave the race, Ms. May, who had supported remaining in the European Union, set out her governing vision in a speech in Birmingham. | |
| She indicated that there would be no reconsideration of the vote to leave the bloc, and that her priority would be reclaiming greater power for Britain to control immigration, even if it meant sacrificing access to the Continent’s single market for goods and services. | |
| But she also presented herself as a “one nation” Conservative who would seek to address the needs of the poor and of minorities. She called for greater worker participation on corporate boards, and she suggested that there had to be limits to tax cuts if society was to meet the needs of all of its people. | But she also presented herself as a “one nation” Conservative who would seek to address the needs of the poor and of minorities. She called for greater worker participation on corporate boards, and she suggested that there had to be limits to tax cuts if society was to meet the needs of all of its people. |
| Mr. Cameron said that he would step down by the fall after British voters decided to leave the European Union in a referendum held last month, setting the stage for the battle to replace him. Although Ms. May backed continued membership in the bloc, she did so quietly, and she was not a prominent figure in the campaign. | Mr. Cameron said that he would step down by the fall after British voters decided to leave the European Union in a referendum held last month, setting the stage for the battle to replace him. Although Ms. May backed continued membership in the bloc, she did so quietly, and she was not a prominent figure in the campaign. |
| Mr. Gove, the justice minister who finished behind Ms. May and Ms. Leadsom in an earlier round of the Conservative Party race, said that she had his “full support,” the BBC reported. | Mr. Gove, the justice minister who finished behind Ms. May and Ms. Leadsom in an earlier round of the Conservative Party race, said that she had his “full support,” the BBC reported. |
| Mr. Johnson dropped out of the race when Mr. Gove, his partner in leading the “Leave” campaign, said he would seek the top position. But on Monday, Mr. Johnson said that Ms. May was the right choice for the country. | Mr. Johnson dropped out of the race when Mr. Gove, his partner in leading the “Leave” campaign, said he would seek the top position. But on Monday, Mr. Johnson said that Ms. May was the right choice for the country. |
| “I have no doubt Theresa will make an excellent party leader and prime minister, and I’m encouraged that she’s made it clear that Brexit means Brexit — that we will leave the E.U.,” he said. | “I have no doubt Theresa will make an excellent party leader and prime minister, and I’m encouraged that she’s made it clear that Brexit means Brexit — that we will leave the E.U.,” he said. |
| Chris Grayling, a Conservative lawmaker and leading supporter of Ms. May, paid tribute to Ms. Leadsom, and he said that Ms. May was “enormously honored to have been entrusted with this task by so many of her parliamentary colleagues.” | Chris Grayling, a Conservative lawmaker and leading supporter of Ms. May, paid tribute to Ms. Leadsom, and he said that Ms. May was “enormously honored to have been entrusted with this task by so many of her parliamentary colleagues.” |
| “Theresa will do everything she can to equip our country for the challenges that lie ahead,” Mr. Grayling added. | “Theresa will do everything she can to equip our country for the challenges that lie ahead,” Mr. Grayling added. |
| Ms. May was expected to make a statement later Monday after returning to London from Birmingham, he said. | Ms. May was expected to make a statement later Monday after returning to London from Birmingham, he said. |
| Tim Farron, the head of the Liberal Democrats, however, expressed objections to Ms. May’s becoming prime minister without a popular vote. | Tim Farron, the head of the Liberal Democrats, however, expressed objections to Ms. May’s becoming prime minister without a popular vote. |
| “With @TheresaMay2016’s coronation we need an early General Election,” he wrote on Twitter. “The Tories now have no mandate. Britain deserves better than this.” | “With @TheresaMay2016’s coronation we need an early General Election,” he wrote on Twitter. “The Tories now have no mandate. Britain deserves better than this.” |
| In announcing on Monday that she was abandoning her pursuit of the Conservative Party leadership, Ms. Leadsom said that she would support Ms. May. | In announcing on Monday that she was abandoning her pursuit of the Conservative Party leadership, Ms. Leadsom said that she would support Ms. May. |
| “The interests of our country are best served by the immediate appointment of a strong and well-supported prime minister,” she said. | “The interests of our country are best served by the immediate appointment of a strong and well-supported prime minister,” she said. |
| Ms. Leadsom’s campaign hit trouble on Saturday after The Times of London published an interview with her in which she said that having children meant she had “a very real stake” in Britain’s future. | Ms. Leadsom’s campaign hit trouble on Saturday after The Times of London published an interview with her in which she said that having children meant she had “a very real stake” in Britain’s future. |
| The newspaper reported Ms. Leadsom as saying that, while Ms. May “possibly has nieces, nephews,” she herself had “children who are going to have children” who would be directly affected by what happened after Britain’s exit from the European Union. | The newspaper reported Ms. Leadsom as saying that, while Ms. May “possibly has nieces, nephews,” she herself had “children who are going to have children” who would be directly affected by what happened after Britain’s exit from the European Union. |
| Ms. Leadsom initially challenged the newspaper accounts, but she later apologized. Ms. May said on Monday that she had accepted the apology. | Ms. Leadsom initially challenged the newspaper accounts, but she later apologized. Ms. May said on Monday that she had accepted the apology. |
| Even before that, Ms. Leadsom had been accused of exaggerating or embellishing her experience in financial services before becoming a lawmaker in 2010. | Even before that, Ms. Leadsom had been accused of exaggerating or embellishing her experience in financial services before becoming a lawmaker in 2010. |
| Ms. May, the longest-serving home secretary in half a century, earned a reputation for seriousness and hard work, while avoiding the intrigue and treachery that has gripped her party. | Ms. May, the longest-serving home secretary in half a century, earned a reputation for seriousness and hard work, while avoiding the intrigue and treachery that has gripped her party. |
| Her tenacity has brought comparisons to Mrs. Thatcher, the only female prime minister in British history, and she is one of an increasing number of women playing prominent roles in British politics. (The announcement from Ms. Leadsom came on the same day that Angela Eagle said she would challenge Jeremy Corbyn to lead the opposition Labour Party.) | Her tenacity has brought comparisons to Mrs. Thatcher, the only female prime minister in British history, and she is one of an increasing number of women playing prominent roles in British politics. (The announcement from Ms. Leadsom came on the same day that Angela Eagle said she would challenge Jeremy Corbyn to lead the opposition Labour Party.) |
| Ms. May became home secretary in 2010, when the Conservatives were returned to power as part of a coalition government. | Ms. May became home secretary in 2010, when the Conservatives were returned to power as part of a coalition government. |
| As the head of the Home Office, she resisted pressure from the United States to extradite a Briton accused of computer hacking, citing human rights concerns, but she negotiated a treaty with Jordan that allowed for the extradition a radical Islamic preacher, despite concerns that he might face torture there. | As the head of the Home Office, she resisted pressure from the United States to extradite a Briton accused of computer hacking, citing human rights concerns, but she negotiated a treaty with Jordan that allowed for the extradition a radical Islamic preacher, despite concerns that he might face torture there. |