Prime Minister Theresa May to resign
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PRIME Minister Theresa May will resign on June 7.
She made the announcement this morning, paving the way for a Conservative leadership contest.
The news comes less than a day after it became apparent that her final bid to pass her Brexit deal through the House of Commons looked set to fail.
Mrs May delivered an emotional speech outside 10 Downing Street stating "it was the honour of a lifetime" to serve "the country I love."
As Prime Minister she suffered historic defeats in the House of Commons as she tried to get her contentious Brexit deal passed.
She said: “I believed it right to persevere even when the odds against success were not high, but it is clear to me that it is now in the best interests of the country for a new Prime Minister to lead that effort.
“It is and will always remain a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit – it will be for my successor to seek a way forward to honour the results of the referendum.”
The Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson praised the Prime Minister’s resilience saying she “has always put country before party.”
“Theresa May knew when she took on the job of Prime Minister that the challenges facing our country were unprecedented. Her time in office has been characterised by the hard work, resilience, quiet dignity and attention to detail for which she is known.
“As Britain’s second female Prime Minister, she has been a role model for girls and women across the United Kingdom, showing that there is no glass ceiling to their ambitions.”
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: "I am very sorry it has come to this. Nobody could have worked harder, or shown a greater sense of public duty, in delivering the result of the EU referendum than Theresa May.
“She has my utmost respect for those endeavours, in the most challenging of circumstances, as well as her unswerving commitment to the Union.
"As Mrs May herself acknowledges, she has, however unfairly, become an impediment to the resolution of Brexit, and was no longer being given a hearing by parliament.
“Yesterday’s elections will surely show that delivering Brexit is now more urgent than ever, and that will fall to a new Prime Minister. It's time to get on with the process of appointing one."
