Prime Minister David Cameron will step down in October, leaving the task of negotiating Britain's withdrawal from the European Union (EU) to one of five candidates running for the job.
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| Home Secretary Theresa May, 59, is seen by British bookmakers as the most likely successor to David Cameron, according to CNN. She is a supporter of tough but controversial security and counter-terrorism policies, and is in charge of border management. May supported Britain remaining in the EU, but in many ways remains skeptical about the bloc's future. After the referendum result, she said she was committed to pushing ahead with the process of leaving the union. Photo: Reuters. |
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| British Justice Secretary Michael Gove, 48, has been criticised for his controversial education reforms while serving as education minister. Despite being a close friend of Mr Cameron, Mr Gove sided with the British prime minister in the recent referendum, supporting Britain's exit from the EU (a decision also known as Brexit). Mr Gove became the centre of media attention last week when he announced his candidacy for prime minister and criticised his ally, former London mayor Boris Johnson. Photo: Reuters. |
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| Less well known than the other two candidates, Stephen Crabb, who is in charge of pensions and benefits in the UK, is believed to be popular with many Conservative MPs. To make himself stand out, Mr Crabb, 43, often emphasises his working-class background. He grew up in Wales with a single mother and lived in low-income housing. Crabb was a former Welsh minister and has said he would prioritise immigration. Photo: AFP. |
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| The other female candidate in the race is Energy and Climate Change Secretary Andrea Leadsom, 53. She comes from a background in banking and fund management. Leadsom campaigned strongly for Brexit, arguing that Britain had a strong enough economy to thrive without being part of the EU. She opposes the free movement of workers and calls for tighter border controls - a key issue in the Brexit debate. She also claims that wages would rise if Britain stopped the flow of EU citizens looking for work. Photo: Reuters. |
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| The final candidate is former British defence minister Liam Fox. Mr Fox ran for the Conservative leadership in 2005 but came third, behind Mr Cameron and David Davis. In 2011, Mr Fox was forced to resign as defence secretary after a close friend was implicated in a lobbying scandal. Mr Fox is also a Brexit supporter. He has campaigned strongly against the free movement of labour, pledging to implement stronger border controls if he becomes prime minister. Photo: Reuters. |
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| Conservative MPs will vote until they have two finalists. Nearly 150,000 Conservative Party members will then choose the new prime minister. The process is expected to be completed by September 9. Graphic: CNN. |
According to VNE
