British Prime Minister Theresa May announces her resignation after Brexit failures

(Image credit: Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images))

published 24 May 2019

British Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation as Conservative Party leader on Friday morning, effective June 7. She will stay on as prime minister until her party chooses a new leader. May said she was sorry she was unable, after three attempts, to get her Brexit plan thorough Parliament. She tried to get lawmakers to compromise on Britain's European Union divorce deal, but "sadly, I have not been able to do so," she said. It will be up to the next prime minister to solve Brexit, May said, and she defended her domestic accomplishments from her nearly three years in office.

The Tories will start voting on the new prime minister in the week after May steps down on June 7. MPs will narrow the pool down to two potential leaders, and Conservative Party voters will select between those two finalists.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.