Challenges for Britain's new female 'owner'

(Baonghean) - With the confirmation of the ruling Conservative Party, Home Secretary Theresa May has won the race to become the leader of the party and will take office as British Prime Minister today (July 13). In the context of the UK being devastated by the "Brexit storm", this new female Prime Minister is expected to become the second "Iron Lady" of the UK, able to steer the country through this extremely difficult period.

Home Secretary Theresa May will take on a lot of responsibility when she takes on her new position as British Prime Minister. Photo: Telegraph

The Road to Prime Minister

Home Secretary Theresa May has emerged as the sole candidate to succeed Prime Minister Cameron, after her rival, Energy and Climate Change Minister Andrea Leadsom, withdrew from the race to become Conservative leader and prime minister.

Earlier, Finance Minister George Osborne and former London Mayor Boris Johnson also withdrew. Outgoing Prime Minister David Cameron also announced that he would hand over the government to Theresa May today - July 13, after he had his final question and answer session and officially submitted his resignation to the Queen.

With this development, many opinions say that the position of British Prime Minister and the heavy mountain of responsibility have "come to" Mrs. Theresa May.

Theresa May becomes the second female Prime Minister in British history. Photo: Independent

Born in 1956 in the south-east of England, Mrs May is the daughter of a vicar, attended Wheatley Park public school and then transferred to study Geography at the private St Hugh's College, Oxford.

In 1976, she met Mr. Philip May and married him in 1980. Mr. Philip May is also a famous figure in the British banking industry, having held management positions at large banks and investment funds such as: De Zoete and Bevan, Deutsche Bank, Capital Group... In 1986, Ms. May began her political activities and in 1997 was elected as a Conservative MP in Maidenhead. In 2010, she was officially appointed as Home Secretary.

As one of the highest-ranking officials in the UK, she is always trusted and highly appreciated. The impressive image of this female Minister is that of a tough politician on many issues such as illegal immigration, crime prevention, and anti-terrorism.

Advantages and challenges

With her extensive experience as Home Secretary, Theresa May has built confidence among MPs and voters in her ability to deal with national security challenges.

In an article published in the Mail (UK) earlier this week, Theresa May also declared that she would protect the UK from the threat of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization. Or in Parliament, she also urgently proposed upgrading the UK's Trident nuclear missile submarine system to deal with the increasing threats.

However, if security is an advantage for Theresa May, economic and trade development issues as well as the roadmap for stabilizing the UK after Brexit are big challenges when she holds the position of Prime Minister.

The immediate task is to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which would formally begin the UK’s exit from the European Union. Mrs May will have to make a decision soon, as EU leaders are pushing for a quick exit.

Hopefully, Theresa May's smile will also bring a bright future for Britain after the "Brexit storm". Photo: Bloomberg

Next, a series of issues will also arise during the negotiation process with the EU, so that the UK does not suffer too much damage. For example, if the UK still wants to access the EU's tariff-free single market, it may be forced to accept a clause that allows European workers to move freely. Accordingly, all EU citizens have the right to come to the UK to find work and vice versa.

Of course, this will not be easy, as Brexit supporters will never accept it. Another challenge is that the UK's public debt has now exceeded £1 trillion ($1.3 trillion) - equivalent to 90% of GDP. This is the reason why leading credit rating agencies such as Standard and Poor's and Fitch Group have downgraded the UK from its highest rating. As the new Prime Minister, Theresa May will also have to take action to stem the flow of companies fleeing the UK with a specific and long-term strategy.

Not only that, before Britain could recover from the “Brexit shock,” it was also facing Scotland’s warning to separate from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK). The Scottish people, who were among the strongest supporters of remaining in the EU, are also quietly showing signs of wanting to separate.

Phuong Hoa