Ex-UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, declared on Friday her intention to step away from her parliamentary role ahead of the forthcoming general election slated for later this year.
At 67 years old, May stands as the most seasoned member of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative party to confirm her decision not to pursue re-election.
The Conservatives have persistently lagged behind the primary opposition Labour Party since October 2022 and are widely perceived to be heading towards an ousting from power after a 14-year tenure.
Since 1997, May has been the steadfast representative for Maidenhead in southeast England, holding the position of prime minister from 2016 to 2019—a period marked by turmoil in the UK as it grappled with the intricacies of Brexit negotiations.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve everyone in the Maidenhead constituency as a member of parliament for the last 27 years,” she said in a statement to the local Maidenhead Advertiser newspaper.
“Since stepping down as prime minister I have enjoyed being a backbencher again and having more time to work for my constituents and champion causes close to my heart including most recently launching a Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.
“These causes have been taking an increasing amount of my time.
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“Because of this, after much careful thought and consideration, I have realised that looking ahead, I would no longer be able to do my job as an MP in the way I believe is right and my constituents deserve,” she added.
May served as interior minister between 2010 and 2016 under then-leader David Cameron.
However, he stepped down immediately after the UK’s decision to leave the EU on June 23, 2016, paving the way for May to become prime minister less than a month later.
In an attempt to break the deadlock over the terms of Britain’s departure from the EU, she called for a general election in 2017, only to encounter a hung parliament when the votes were tallied.
After facing hurdles in getting her deal approved by parliament, her Conservative party suffered a major setback in the May 2019 European elections, ultimately leading to her resignation.
Although Brexit dominated her time in office, May also grappled with managing the aftermath of terror attacks in London and Manchester, as well as the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in the UK capital, which resulted in the loss of 72 lives.
In a poignant speech, she announced her resignation as prime minister and her intention to step down as Conservative leader on June 7, acknowledging her failure to win over MPs to support her Brexit deal.