London: Conservative Party leader Theresa May today became only the second woman in UK history to be appointed as country’s Prime Minister after she accepted an invitation to govern from Queen Elizabeth II.
May, 59, today took charge as Prime Minister of Britain after she had her audience with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace and vowed to forge "a bold new positive role" for the UK in the world post-Brexit.
She arrived at Downing Street with husband Philip May to address the world's media waiting since her predecessor, David Cameron, departed just over an hour earlier after tendering his resignation to the Queen.
After leaving the Buckingham Palace, May said in a speech, "In David Cameron I follow in the footsteps of a great modern prime minister. Under David’s leadership the government stabilised the economy, reduced the budget defict and helped more people into work than every before."
"But David’s true legacy is not about the economy, but about social justice. From the introduction of same sex marriage to taking people on low wages out of income tax altogether David Cameron has led a one nation government and it is in that spirit that I also plan to lead," she added.
Earlier in the day, David Cameron made a final appearance in the House of Commons as PM on Wednesday before handing over to his successor, Theresa May.
In his final address to House of Commons, Cameron said he will miss “the roar of the crowd and “barbs of the opposition” before signing off with phrase “I was the future once.”
Cameron, who announced his resignation after losing the campaign to keep Britain in the European Union, was to stay on the job till September till the Conservative Party chose a new candidate for the office.
However, May remained the only contender for top post after her rival Andrea Leadsom bowed out two days ago, following which Cameron announced that he would leave the office on Wednesday.
He took his final weekly prime minister's questions session at noon before travelling to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II.
“I will watch these exchanges from the back benches. I will miss the roar of the crowd, I will miss the barbs from the opposition, but I will be willing you on. And when I say willingly you on, I don’t just mean willing on the new prime minister at this despatch box, or indeed just willing on the front bench defending the manifesto that I helped put together,” Cameron said in his address to the House of Commons.
In his final remarks, Cameron said, “Nothing is really impossible if you put your mind to it. After all, as I once said, I was the future once.”
Theresa May is expected to quickly unveil a new Cabinet lineup, including a minister in charge of implementing Brexit, a British exit from the EU.
May, who backed remaining in the EU, will also be expected to reward prominent campaigners for a "leave" vote with key jobs. Observers are keen to see if she appoints former London Mayor Boris Johnson and Justice Secretary Michael Gove, onetime Conservative leadership contenders who jointly headed the "leave" campaign, and then turned on one another.
There is also speculation that May, Britain's second female prime minister — after Margaret Thatcher — will boost the number of women in top posts.
