UK will have second female prime minister
Race to succeed David Cameron comes down to two candidates: the pro-Remain Theresa May and the pro-Brexit Andrea Leadsom.
The UK is set to have its second female prime minister – and again it will be a Conservative.
The race to succeed David Cameron – who wants to leave No 10 Downing St before the Conservative Party's annual conference in October – has come down to two candidates: home secretary Theresa May and energy minister Andrea Leadsom.
Mrs May (59) was a "Remain" supporter but kept a relatively low profile during the EU referendum campaign. Pundits regard her as being to the right of David Cameron. Her policy moves as home secretary have included reducing the minimum wage of non-EU workers wanting to work in the UK.
Mrs Leadsom (53) is more junior in the Conservative pecking order but became the rallying point for pro-"Brexit" MPs after Boris Johnson threw in the towel.
Half a dozen candidates put their hands up for the role.
The first part of the voting process, which has just wrapped up, saw the Conservative MPs vote in a multi-round ballot to whittle down the field to two.
In the final round of caucus voting, Mrs May (199 votes) and Mrs Leadsom (84) saw off the Machiavellian Michael Gove (46) who entered the race after turning on his former ally – and hitherto presumed favourite – Boris Johnson.
Around 150,000 Conservative Party members will now vote one of the final two in a postal ballot.
The result is expected to be announced on September 9.
Britain's first female prime minister, Margret Thatcher, was also its longest-serving of the 20th century. She became PM in 1979 and stayed in No 10 until she was forced out by cabinet colleagues in 1990.
More:
Theresa May profile (BBC)
Andrea Leadsom profile (BBC)
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