TheresaMay has won the first round of voting to become the next conservative leader and thus the new Prime Minister for the UK.
Receiving165 votesout of a total of 329 cast by conservative MPs Theresa May comes a clear first. Second was Andrea Leadsom with 66 votes. Third was Michael Gove who received a total of 48 votes.
Coming in forth Stephen Crabb with34 votes, decided to withdraw himself from the race. Liam Foxonlygot16 votes, and so has been droppedfrom the race.
Further voting will now reduce the final three contender down to two; then the conservative party members will vote by postal ballot for either of the remaining candidates; which is due to be taken to members on the 9th of September.
This leaves TheresaMay as the only remainingcontender in the race that campaigned for the UK to remainthe EU. Both Andrea Leadsom and Michael Gove campaigned forthe UK to leave the EU.
Will Theresa May satisfy her criticsIt looks like she is so far.
So looking at the number this means that TheresaMay with 165 votes received 50%, with Andrea Leadsom who came second with 66 votes only secured20% of the vote, Michael Gove with 48 votes received only 15%, with Stephen Crabb getting 10% and Liam Fox only 5%.
This is a huge advantage for Mrs May in the first round of voting and she has promised she will go through with a Brexit plan shouldshe be the next Prime Minister. Socan the UKs brexit be stoppedit doesn't look like it.
Liam Foxhas lost out again for a second time in a conservative leader race, in 2005 he came third in the contest which David Cameron won.
It is thought that while the majority of ConservativeMPs are remain supporters and so back TheresaMay for leadership the wiser party membership may not reflect thatwhich could swing this race in favour of Andrea Leadsom or Michael Gove.
TheresaMay, Andrea Leadsom and Michael Gove are set to face the conservative MPs for the second time on Thursday 7th July. Then the final round will be on the following Tuesday. Thischanges should any candidate drop out of the race at which pointwith only two candidates the leadership campaign will go directly to a postal ballot to the wider conservative party members.
The winner of this race is currently set to be announcedon the 9th of September only time will tell if this is broughtforward.
