Britain will have first female prime minister since Margaret Thatcher

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Washington Post:

LONDON — The race to be Britain’s next prime minister was whittled to two on Thursday, with Conservative Party lawmakers assuring that the country will have a female head of government — the nation’s first since Margaret Thatcher stepped down more than a quarter century ago.

 

The contest will pit the home affairs secretary, Theresa May, against Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom in a race that features contenders who were on opposite sides of last month’s European Union referendum.

 

In a vote among 330 Tory members of Parliament, May was on top with 199 votes compared to 84 for Leadsom. A third candidate, Justice Secretary Michael Gove, was knocked out after securing just 46 votes.

 

Gove had upended British politics last week by jumping into the race for prime minister at the last possible moment. The move forced the favorite, former London mayor Boris Johnson, from the contest even before he had entered. But Gove’s unexpected betrayal also angered many Conservative lawmakers, and prompted them to search for an alternative candidate to stand against the new front-runner, May.

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New Mum at Number 10 Downing Street.