Theresa May to resign as prime minister

British Prime Minister Theresa May said yesterday she would quit as Conservative leader on  June 7, paving the way for a contest to decide a new prime minister, the BBC reported.   

.In an emotional statement, she said she had done her best to deliver Brexit and it was a matter of “deep regret” that she had been unable to do so.  
Being prime minister had been the “honour of my life”, she said.  

Mrs May said she would continue to serve as PM while a Conservative leadership contest takes place.  

It means she will still be prime minister when US President Donald Trump makes his state visit to Britain at the start of June.  

Mrs May announced she would step down as Tory leader on 7 June and had agreed with the chairman of Tory backbenchers that a leadership contest should begin the following week.  
Boris Johnson, Esther McVey and Rory Stewart have said they intend to run for the party leadership, while more than a dozen others are believed to be seriously considering entering the contest.  

The prime minister has faced a backlash from her MPs against her latest Brexit plan, which included concessions aimed at attracting cross-party support.  

Mrs May met Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt at Downing Street on Thursday where they are understood to have expressed their concerns about her proposed withdrawal bill.  

• Being prime minister had been the “honour of my life”