Conservative Party Leadership Contest 2016
On 24 June 2016, David Cameron resigned as Prime Minister thereby triggering a Conservative Party election contest.
Cameron had called a referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union, and then campaigned for the country to stay in. However, the Leave campaign for what was dubbed Brexit won.
Cameron fell on his sword, but delayed his departure for a couple of months, saying:
"The country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction. I will do everything I can as Prime Minister to steady the ship over the coming weeks and months, but I don't think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination."
The Conservative Party's 1922 committee, made up of its backbencher MPs, will oversee the contest.
A series of ballots of the 331 Conservative MPs will whittle the candidates down to two, who will then be voted on by the entire Conservative Party membership with the winner becoming the new Conservative leader and Prime Minister.
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Cameron had called a referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union, and then campaigned for the country to stay in. However, the Leave campaign for what was dubbed Brexit won.
Cameron fell on his sword, but delayed his departure for a couple of months, saying:
"The country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction. I will do everything I can as Prime Minister to steady the ship over the coming weeks and months, but I don't think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination."
The Conservative Party's 1922 committee, made up of its backbencher MPs, will oversee the contest.
A series of ballots of the 331 Conservative MPs will whittle the candidates down to two, who will then be voted on by the entire Conservative Party membership with the winner becoming the new Conservative leader and Prime Minister.
Nominations for leader closed on 30 June 1016. The following declared themselves as candidates: Theresa May, Michael Gove, Andrea Leadsom, Liam Fox and Stephen Crabb.
The greatest surprise was that Boris Johnson did not put himself forward in spite of being the bookmakers' favourite.
The new leader of the Conservatives should be in place by 9 September 2016.
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