THERESA May has stepped down as the Tory leader after failing to deliver Brexit.
The PM was forced to resign after she failed to deliver Brexit and lost the support of her own MPs. Here’s what we know about her.
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How old is Theresa May and what’s her background?
May, 62, was born in Eastbourne, Sussex on October 1, 1956.
She graduated from Oxford University with a geography degree in 1977.
May started her career at the Bank of England, and has worked as a financial consultant and senior adviser in International Affairs before she turned to politics.
Her previous positions in Government include Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities.
Theresa May has been the MP for Maidenhead since 1997, and became the first female chairman of the Conservative Party from 2002-2003.
Her husband Philip, who works in private equity, has been described as her “secret weapon” because he acts as her eyes and ear in the City.
In 2011, then Home Secretary May, revealed to the Daily Mail that she has Type 1 diabetes, a disease which carries risks of heart attacks and strokes.
Speaking at the time, May said she carries a needle with her at all times and must inject herself with insulin at least twice a day.
She said: “It was a real shock and, yes, it took me a while to come to terms with it.
“The diabetes doesn’t affect how I do the job or what I do. It’s just part of life… so it’s a case of head down and getting on with it.”
May was appointed PM on July 13, 2016.
Back then, the BBC said “her toughness has become her political hallmark”.
She regularly attends St Andrew’s Church with her husband in Sonning, Berkshire.
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What has Theresa May said about Brexit?
May supported the UK remaining in the EU during the referendum campaign but was not a prominent campaigner.
Her entire premiership has been devoted to ensuring Britain has a smooth departure from the EU – but it’s been a rocky road.
She has survived two direct threats to her leadership, one from within her Conservative Party, and one brought by opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who tried but failed to force a general election.
In November 2018, the EU’s 27 other countries gave their backing to her Brexit plan at a special summit in Brussels.
It came after a number of cabinet resignations and calls for her to quit.
The PM vowed to push “with every fibre of my being” hours after she pulled the trigger on a Brexiteer rebellion led by Jacob Rees-Mogg which could spark a leadership challenge
After the deal was approved by the EU, she made a direct appeal to the public in a letter to the nation.
In her letter Mrs May said: “I will be fighting campaigning with my heart and soul to win that vote and deliver this Brexit deal for the good of the UK and all of our people.”
But on December 10, 2018, Mrs May cancelled the vote at the eleventh hour after realising she was sure of certain defeat.
The chaotic Brexit negotiations led to her own D-Day two days later, when a critical number of MPs submitted votes of no confidence.
On the night of December 12, an anonymous vote saw 200 Conservative MPs vote for her to stay, against 117 who voted for her to be ousted.
MPs rejected her Brexit deal for a second time – resulting in further instability at Westminster, and putting her political future in doubt.
For most of her own MPs, the last straw came when she agreed to delay Brexit following the third defeat of her deal in the Commons.
She wanted to give her deal a last push – but instead MPs made it clear she should go as soon as possible.
When did she resign and why?
On May 24, Mrs May made a speech saying she was stepping down after losing the support of her MPs.
In a tearful speech outside Downing Street she said: “I have done my best.
“I will shortly leave the job that it has been the honour of my life to hold – the second female Prime Minister but certainly not the last.
“I do so with no ill-will, but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love.”
Her last-ditch bid to save the Brexit deal by offering MPs a vote on whether to hold a second referendum proved the last nail in her coffin.
It triggered a Cabinet rebellion with Andrea Leadsom resigning.
What will she do now?
She will become acting leader while the race begins to find her replacement – with Boris Johnson the current favourite.
However, she will remain as PM until that happens, likely to be until the end of July.
She plans to stay as MP for Maidenhead until the next election scheduled for 2022.
How much does the Prime Minister earn?
The Prime Minister is currently paid £153, 907 a year, which includes the basic salary for an MP – currently set at £76,011.
And being PM does have its perks – May gets a £130,000 a year plush pad at No 11 Downing Street and free use of lavish Chequers throughout the year.
