Theresa May, Michael Gove Join Battle to Succeed David Cameron
June 30 2016 - 4:50AM
Dow Jones News
The battle to succeed Prime Minister David Cameron as head of
Britain's Conservative Party heated up Thursday, as two prominent
members of his cabinet said they would contest the leadership and
more were poised to join them.
Home Secretary Theresa May announced her candidacy, while the
British Broadcasting Corp. reported that Justice Secretary Michael
Gove, one of the most prominent backers of the campaign for the
U.K. to leave the EU, would run.
The charismatic former London Mayor Boris Johnson, another
prominent Brexit backer, is expected to announce his candidacy
later Thursday.
Britain's vote to break away from the EU has thrown Britain's
political scene into upheaval, prompting Mr. Cameron to resign and
opening up a political vacuum as candidates jostle for
position.
Ms. May proclaimed her credentials as a steady leader in
turbulent times and promised to heal the nation's divisions.
"Following last week's referendum, our country needs strong,
proven leadership to steer us through this period of economic and
political uncertainty, and to negotiate the best possible terms as
we leave the European Union," Ms. May wrote in The Times
newspaper.
With an eye aimed at her nearest rival, Mr. Johnson, who has
kept a low profile since the vote, she underlined her credentials
as a leader unafraid of making tough decisions.
Mr. Gove had been expected to support Mr. Johnson. He said he
was running because he had come "to the conclusion that Boris
cannot provide the leadership or build the team for the task
ahead," the BBC reported. A representative for Mr. Gove couldn't
immediately be reached.
A survey by polling firm YouGov PLC conducted Sunday and Monday
suggested Ms. May was slightly more popular among the general
public than Mr. Johnson, who was de facto leader of the campaign to
leave the EU.
However, some Conservative lawmakers have said that her support
of the prime minister's position of remaining in the EU would make
it hard for her to be the prime minister to negotiate Britain's
exit.
Write to Alexis Flynn at alexis.flynn@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
June 30, 2016 05:35 ET (09:35 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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