Theresa May

Theresa May
Name	Theresa May
Caption	Official portrait, 2016
Office	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Term start	13 July 2016
Term end	24 July 2019
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Predecessor	David Cameron
Successor	Boris Johnson
Office1	Home Secretary
Term start1	12 May 2010
Term end1	13 July 2016
Primeminister1	David Cameron
Predecessor1	Alan Johnson
Successor1	Amber Rudd
Office2	Leader of the Conservative Party
Term start2	11 July 2016
Term end2	23 July 2019
Predecessor2	David Cameron
Successor2	Boris Johnson
Birth name	Theresa Mary Brasier
Birth date	1 October 1956
Birth place	Eastbourne, Sussex, England
Party	Conservative
Spouse	Philip May, 1980
Alma mater	St Hugh's College, Oxford
Religion	Anglicanism

Theresa May served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2016 to 2019. Her tenure was overwhelmingly defined by the complex and divisive process of implementing the 2016 referendum result to leave the European Union. Previously, she was Home Secretary in the Cameron ministry from 2010 to 2016, making her the longest-serving holder of that office in over six decades.

Early life and education

Theresa Mary Brasier was born in Eastbourne and spent much of her childhood in Oxfordshire. Her father was a Church of England clergyman. She was educated at St. Juliana's Convent School for Girls and later at Wheatley Park School. She read Geography at St Hugh's College, Oxford, where she was introduced to future husband Philip May by Benazir Bhutto. During her time at the University of Oxford, she was a member of the Oxford University Conservative Association.

Early political career

After a career at the Bank of England and the Association for Payment Clearing Services, she entered electoral politics. She served as a Councillor for the London Borough of Merton from 1986 to 1994. She was elected Member of Parliament for Maidenhead in the 1997 general election. She held various Shadow Cabinet roles under leaders William Hague, Iain Duncan Smith, and Michael Howard, including Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary.

Home Secretary (2010–2016)

Appointed Home Secretary following the 2010 election, she oversaw the Home Office and the Justice portfolio briefly. Her tenure included the creation of the National Crime Agency, the passage of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, and the deportation of radical cleric Abu Qatada to Jordan. She faced controversies over missed immigration targets and the Windrush scandal, though the latter fully emerged after her departure. She also served as Minister for Women and Equalities from 2010 to 2012.

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2016–2019)

Following the Brexit referendum and the resignation of David Cameron, she won the Conservative leadership contest, defeating Andrea Leadsom. Her premiership began with pledges to address "burning injustices" and her key mantra, "Brexit means Brexit". Her First May ministry lost its Commons majority after a failed gamble in the 2017 snap election, leading to a confidence-and-supply agreement with the Democratic Unionist Party.

Brexit negotiations

Her government triggered Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union in March 2017, beginning formal withdrawal negotiations led by her Department for Exiting the European Union. The core of her approach was the Chequers plan, which aimed for a close economic partnership. This plan was rejected by the European Commission and many in her own party. The resulting Withdrawal Agreement from the European Union, particularly the Northern Ireland Protocol, was defeated three times in the House of Commons, a historic parliamentary defeat.

Post-premiership (2019–present)

After resigning as party leader, she was succeeded by Boris Johnson and returned to the backbenches. She continues to serve as the Member of Parliament for Maidenhead. She published her memoirs, *The Abuse of Power*, in 2023. She has been critical of subsequent government policies, including the Rwanda asylum plan, and has spoken on issues such as modern slavery and Uyghur rights.

Political positions and legacy

Identified with the One-Nation wing of the Conservative Party, she combined socially liberal stances on issues like same-sex marriage with a reputation for a tough, law-and-order approach from her time at the Home Office. Her legacy is inextricably linked to the tumultuous Brexit process, with supporters citing her resilience and detractors criticizing a perceived lack of flexibility. Her fall highlighted deep fissures within British politics and her party over the future relationship with the European Union.

Category:Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom Category:Leaders of the Conservative Party (UK) Category:Home Secretaries