The Next Prime Minister

July 11th 2016

“Having supported Theresa May`s candidacy for the Leadership of the Conservative Party, and therefore as our next Prime Minister, from the outset I am of course pleased that she will, following her endorsement by the 1922 Committee and the Board of the Conservative Party, be in a position to take office. She will be in Number Ten by Wednesday evening.

I believe that it is in the best interests of the United Kingdom that the matter has been resolved in the way that it has and that as a result our Country will be spared a potentially bruising campaign and further uncertainty. Theresa May has the clear support of the Parliamentary party and would, I am sure, have received the support of the Party membership in the ballot box had it come to that. It is in everyone`s interests that she is now enabled to get on with the huge task in hand as swiftly as possible.

I have worked closely with Mrs. May as a Conservative Party Vice-Chairman during her Chairmanship and I have seen at close quarters how determined, effective and courageous she is. She has made it clear again this morning that “Brexit” means “Brexit” and of all the candidates I am certain that she is best-placed to instigate a thought-through negotiating position and to embark upon the discussions necessary to extricate Britain from the European Union on the best possible terms.

Following her speech in Thanet last Thursday, having travelled following the announcement of the support of most of the parliamentary party , I said in proposing a vote of thanks that as our next Prime Minister Theresa May would face the greatest peacetime challenges since the 19th Century. That is true as is the fact that she is up to those challenges. I believe that she will unite both our party and the Country in seeking to lead us forward to long-term prosperity and confidence from which One Nation will benefit”