Brexit campaigner Michael Gove is out of the race to succeed David Cameron as British prime minister and leader of the Tory party – leaving two women to battle it out for the top job.
Home Secretary Theresa May and Junior Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom are the only two contenders left, after the elimination by party ballot vote of Boris Johnson, Stephen Craab, Liam Fox and now Michael Gove.
According to Bloomberg, May won 199 votes to Leadsom’s 84, with Gove third on 46.
It's official. The next Prime Minister will be a woman, as Michael Gove eliminated from the #ConservativeLeadership pic.twitter.com/Mc60d1gEeC
— BBC Newsbeat (@BBCNewsbeat) July 7, 2016
It will mean that the UK will have its second female prime minister – the first since Margaret Thatcher resigned in 1990 – and only the second in the roughly 300-year history of the office.
May said in response:
“I’m delighted to have won so much support from my colleagues,” she said. “This vote shows the Tory party can come together and unite, and under my leadership it will.
“We need strong, proven leadership to negotiate the best deal for Britain as we leave the European Union, to unite our party and our country, and to make Britain a country that works not for a privileged few but for every one of us.”
Michael Gove eliminated as Theresa May tops second #ToryLeadership ballot https://t.co/XZC9sFcnbu https://t.co/cx77IyXv3C
— Yannis Koutsomitis (@YanniKouts) July 7, 2016
She remains the popular favourite to win the leadership and become PM, but, as The Guardian reports, there’s an element in the Tory party that might back Leadsom, who is seen as a more adventurous choice than May, who has been a steady but controversial figure at the Home Office.
Meanwhile, Gove’s elimination has gone down well with social media users and, well, everyone.
First up, it’s a perfect excuse to re-use this Vine.
https://twitter.com/AkshatRathi/status/751079431867920384
There hasn't been a lot of good news in the last couple of weeks but the grinning idiot Michael Gove missing out on PM brought some cheer
— Peter West (@peterfwest) July 7, 2016
So Michael Gove, British politics' Walder Frey finally gets his comeuppance. The North sends its regards. pic.twitter.com/CMEWLixNTt
— Martin Waters (@lifethrualens) July 7, 2016
Michael Gove.
You are the weakest link.
Goodbye.
— Mike Grace (@ZeRootOfAllEvil) July 7, 2016
Wow, it turns out you can actually be too much of a c**t in the Tory party. #MichaelGove
— Richie (@HooseRice) July 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/burmasauce/status/751079225382342656
