Andrea Leadsom, finalist for British prime minister, drops out of the race

Andrea Leadsom, one of the two women selected as the Conservative Party's finalists to run for British prime minister, announced Monday that she was dropping out of the race. Leadsom's exit clears the way for the sole remaining finalist, Theresa May, to succeed current Prime Minister David Cameron, who announced his resignation following the Brexit vote.
Leadsom said she decided to drop out after she felt "under attack, under enormous pressure" from senior party colleagues following comments she made about May not having any children. "It has been shattering," she said during a Monday interview, after announcing that she'd "concluded that the interests of our country are best served by the immediate appointment."
The two finalists, chosen by the ruling Conservative Party from five candidates, were set to be voted on by the party's 150,000 people this fall. It is not yet clear whether Leadsom's decision will allow May to automatically become the next prime minister, or whether the party will need to find another finalist.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What are 'dark fleets' and why does China use them?
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Cracks appear in MAGA's pro-Israel front
IN THE SPOTLIGHT As the world watches a humanitarian crisis unfold across Gaza, some of Israel's most staunchly conservative defenders have begun speaking out against its actions in the occupied territories
-
5 cultural trails to traverse by car
The Week Recommends Leave the hiking shoes at home
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on Canada
Speed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
-
Harris rules out run for California governor
Speed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest
-
Trump sets new tariff rates as deadline nears
Speed Read New tariff rates for South Korea, Brazil and India announced
-
Ghislaine Maxwell: angling for a Trump pardon
Talking Point Convicted sex trafficker's testimony could shed new light on president's links to Jeffrey Epstein
-
Senate confirms Trump loyalist Bove to top court
Speed Read The president's former criminal defense lawyer was narrowly approved to earn a lifetime seat
-
Ghislaine Maxwell offers testimony for immunity
Speed Read The convicted sex trafficker offered to testify to Congress about her relationship with late boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein