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 race for her successor is open to any Tory member of Parliament, but the frontrunners include former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, current Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, and former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab. There are more than a dozen MPs who are considering a run.
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.