Theresa May

Theresa May is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in office since July 2016. She
is also the Leader of the Conservative Party and has been the Home Secretary since 2010. The
country’s second female Prime Minister after fellow Conservative Margaret Thatcher, May is a
highly experienced politician who took over as UK’s Prime Minister from David Cameron
during a period of political uncertainty following Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union.

Early Life and Career

The only child of an Anglican minister, Theresa Brasier grew up in rural Oxfordshire. Like
Margaret Thatcher, she went to Oxford University and, like so many others of her generation,
found that her personal and political lives soon became closely intertwined. She studied
geography. In 1976, in her third year, she met her husband Philip, who was president of the
Oxford Union, a well-known breeding ground for future political leaders. Both she and her
husband undertook careers in banking.

Theresa May began her political career in 1986 as councillor in the London borough of Merton.
After failing as a Conservative candidate for the House of Commons twice, May was elected to
represent Maidenhead in 1997. She moved quickly from the back to the front bench, becoming
shadow secretary of state for education and employment (1999–2001), shadow secretary of state
for transport, local government, and the regions (2001–02), shadow secretary of state for the
family (2004–05), shadow secretary of state for culture, media, and sport (2005), and shadow
leader of the House of Commons (2005–09).

On 11 July 2016, Theresa May became the leader of the Conservative Party. She has promised
social reform and a more centrist political outlook for the Conservative Party and its government.
In a speech after her appointment, May emphasised reminding all of "the precious, precious bond
between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland". May considers herself a one nation
conservative.

After being appointed by the Queen on 13 July 2016, May became the United Kingdom's second
female Prime Minister, after Margaret Thatcher. She is the first female Prime minister of the 21st
century. May told the media that she was "honoured and humbled" to be the party leader and to
become prime minister.

May's early cabinet appointments were interpreted both as "centrist and conciliatory", an effort to
reunite the party in the wake of the UK's vote to leave the European Union, and as "a shift to the
right" according to The Guardian.

In her first speech, May made a promise to combat the "burning injustice" in British society and
create a union "between all of our citizens" and promising to be an advocate for the "ordinary
working-class family" and not just for "privileged few" in the UK.

This promises, i observed and on their site. So, on conservatives.com Theresa May mentioned
that: ,,I will deliver the strong and proven leadership the country needs to steer us through what
will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times. Second, we need to unite our
country. And third, we need a strong, new, and positive vision for the future of our country. A
vision of a country that works not for the privileged few but works for every one of us. Because
we’re going to give people more control over their lives."

A big issue May had to tackle during her premiership is Brexit, after Britain voted to leave the
European Union. May has led talks with the European Union to plan how the split will happen.

May has also dealt with the war in Iraq and Syria. She has used Britain's military to fight ISIS in
both countries. British troops have been in the Battle of Mosul, helping Iraq's military and the
Kurdish forces.

In April 2017, the Cabinet agreed to hold a general election on Thursday 8 June. During the
resulting campaign, Theresa May asked the electorate to "strengthen my hand" in Brexit
negotiations, promised "strong and stable leadership in the national interest" and warned of a
"coalition of chaos" under Jeremy Corbyn.

On 8 January 2018, May announced her first major cabinet reshuffle, keeping in place most
ministers, but promoting others.