Image: FlickrHome secretary Theresa May is set to become the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after energy minister Andrea Leadsom dropped out of the race on Monday.
According to the BBC, sources close to Ms Leadsom said "the abuse has been too great". On Monday, she apologised to Ms May for her comments suggesting that she would not make a good Prime Minister because she is not a mother.
The Conservative's 1922 Committee confirmed that Theresa May is the new leader of the Party and will be the new Prime Minister. The Committee's chair, Graham Brady, said he was not able to say when Ms May would be formally become Prime Minister. But he confirmed that it would not be the nine weeks estimated by the Committee at the start of the leadership race.
Ms May launched her campaign just a few hours before Ms Leadsom quit the race, saying the Conservatives will be "at the service" of the working people under her leadership.
At the heart of that statement are plans to calls on big businesses to place customers and employees on their boards. Ms May would also see shareholder votes on executive pay binding, not advisory, meaning employees with shares in the company would have a greater say in how much their top bosses are paid.
Officially starting her campaign, the home secretary said: "Brexit means Brexit and we're going to make a success of it."
Referring to her bid to become just the second female Prime Minister in British history, Ms May also criticised "narrow social and professional circles" used to recruit new members of executive teams.
She said: "So if I'm prime minister, we're going to change that system - and we're going to have not just consumers represented on company boards, but workers as well."
The home secretary said: "We're the Conservative Party, and yes, we're the party of enterprise - but that does not mean we should be prepared to accept that 'anything goes'."
Outlining her goals as Prime Minister, Ms May said: "First, we need a bold, new, positive vision for the future of our country - a vision of a country that works for everyone - not just the privileged few.
"Second, we need to unite our party and our country.
"And third, our country needs strong, proven leadership - to steer us through this time of economic and political uncertainty and to negotiate the best deal for Britain as we leave the European Union and forge a new role for ourselves in the world.
She added: "Right now, if you're born poor, you will die on average nine years earlier than others.
"If you're black, you're treated more harshly by the criminal justice system than if you're white. If you're a white, working-class boy, you're less likely than anybody else to go to university. If you're at a state school, you're less likely to reach the top professions than if you're educated privately.
"If you're a woman, you still earn less than a man. If you suffer from mental health problems, there's too often not enough help to hand. If you're young, you'll find it harder than ever before to own your own home."
