Theresa May to promote women as she becomes prime minister

Top Tory women said to be in line for Cabinet promotions as Theresa May takes over from David Cameron


By Josh May

13 Jul 2016

Theresa May is expected to appoint more women to top jobs in the Cabinet when she takes over as Prime Minister from David Cameron later today.

Cameron will take his final Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons at 12pm. He will then make a farewell speech at Downing Street, before heading to Buckingham Palace to offer his resignation.

May, currently the home secretary and already the leader of the Conservatives, will then be sworn in by the Queen and will go to Number 10 to make her first statement as prime minister.


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She is expected to unveil a reshuffled Cabinet, with many Tory women in line for top jobs.

“It was Theresa who set up the campaign to elect more female MPs to parliament, and she has always believed that there should be more women in prominent government positions,” a spokeswoman said.

Energy secretary Amber Rudd and international development secretary Justine Greening are among the names being linked with key jobs in Mrs May’s first Cabinet.

Ministers Priti Patel, Karen Bradley and Anna Soubry are also tipped to take more senior posts.

Other names reported to be in line for promotions are Harriett Baldwin, Margot James and Anne Milton who, according to The Sun, could become the first Tory female chief whip.

The new Cabinet-level post of "Minister for Brexit" will need to be filled, while the futures of George Osborne and Michael Gove in the top team will also be resolved.

In his final newspaper interview as prime minister, Cameron said the UK was a “stronger country” now than when he took power in 2010.

He told The Telegraph: “I came into Downing Street to confront our problems as a country and lead people through difficult decisions so that together we could reach better times.

"As I leave today, I hope that people will see a stronger country, a thriving economy, and more chances to get on in life.

“It has been a privilege to serve the country I love."

The newspaper also reports that Cameron will use his final Prime Minister’s Questions session this afternoon to highlight his record of social reform, including introducing same-sex marriage, and policies like meeting the target to spend 0.7% of national income on international aid.

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