Despite Record, Theresa May Says Her Gov’t Won’t Work for ‘Privileged Few’

“And also willing on this place, because yes we can be pretty tough and test and challenge our leaders, perhaps more than some other countries, but that is something we should be proud of and we should keep at it”.

The appointment of Johnson, an outspoken critic of British membership in the European Union whose political future looked to be in doubt after Gove, the justice secretary, essentially forced him out of the race to become prime minister, was met with some bemusement and concern overseas.

After six years as leader, Mr Cameron will formally hand in his resignation to Queen Elizabeth later on Wednesday, passing control of the country to fellow Conservative Theresa May, who will be in charge of negotiating Britain’s exit from the EU.

May will face immediate pressure from European Union leaders to serve formal notice of Britain’s withdrawal and set the clock ticking on a two-year countdown to its final departure.

May’s first calls after taking over late Wednesday were to Europe’s top two powerbrokers, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande.

Johnson, Britain’s new foreign secretary, said Thursday it was an opportunity to be seized – “reshaping Britain’s global profile and identity as a great global player”. He replaces George Osborne, whose determination to balance Britain’s books made him synonymous with austerity.

Michael Gove, one of Britain’s most polarizing politicians and the man at the centre of much recent intrigue in the governing Conservative Party, was sacked Thursday by the new prime minister, Theresa May, as she overhauled the Cabinet.

Other prominent “Leave” campaigners were also rewarded. Another, Liam Fox, was named to head a new worldwide trade department. “Brexit means Brexit” has quickly become her new mantra.

When she was running for the Conservative leadership, May promised that “Brexit means Brexit”, and her appointments of Johnson, Davis and arch-euroskeptic Trade Secretary Liam Fox signal to European Union leaders that, no matter what her own feelings, she will not be watering down Britain’s commitment to leaving the EU.

Her new role as secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs represents a promotion from her previous job as junior energy minister, but lands her the hard task of delivering on funding promises made to the farming community during the referendum campaign.

“He isn’t returning to us as I feel we never lost him, he has been incredibly diligent at attending constituency engagements and surgeries and continuing to play a full and active role in West Oxfordshire life throughout his time as Prime Minister”. An official photograph showed her curtseying to the smiling monarch.

Conservative MPs were joined by Liberal Democrat former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and a number of Labour politicians in getting to their feet and applauding Mr Cameron as he finished his final turn at the despatch box.

Seen as a tough, competent and intensely private person, already being compared to Germany’s Angela Merkel, she must now try to limit the damage to British trade and investment as she renegotiates the country’s ties with its 27 European Union partners. And of course writing those heart-breaking letters to the families who have lost loved ones is a poignant reminder of the profound scale of what these men and women give for us in the defence of our freedoms and our way of life. Brexit! When do we want it?

The United States congratulated May and said it was confident in her ability to steer Britain through the Brexit negotiations. Surrounded by his wife and children, Nancy, Elwen and Florence, Cameron offered an assessment of his tenure saying he left the country stronger and better off.