Key Dates as Theresa May's U.K. Premiership Comes to an End
Key Dates as Theresa May's U.K. Premiership Comes to an End
(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Theresa May is slowly heading for the exit. Here’s a speculative timeline of the key dates ahead and the process of a Conservative Party leadership race. It could happen much faster if she’s pushed out sooner.
Week of May 27
This will begin with the European Parliament election results, on the night of May 26. The Conservatives are predicted to do very badly and Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party to do well.
Week of June 3
The government has promised the first vote on its Brexit legislation -- the Withdrawal Agreement Bill or WAB -- this week. After the vote, whatever the result, May will meet Graham Brady, the chairman of the panel of rank-and-file Tory members of Parliament. They will agree a timetable for the election to replace her, and the race that’s already underway becomes official.
It’s theoretically possible that May could win the second reading -- although it’s even less likely now Labour has walked out of cross-party talks.
Week of June 10
If the WAB is still alive, the government will want to move swiftly to the so-called committee stage, where it’s scrutinized line-by-line. This would probably be done in the House of Commons, open to all members, and would involve lots of amendments and many votes.
But assuming the WAB is dead, May’s premiership will be too, and the country will by now be plunged into a Tory leadership race.
Rest of June
May will remain as prime minister while her successor is sought. First, Tory MPs will hold a series of votes -- probably two per week -- to whittle down the list of candidates to a final pair.
July-August
Postal ballots will probably go to the 120,000 or so Conservative Party members who will choose the future British prime minister from the two names proposed by Tory MPs.
August-September
New leader could take over.
Sept. 29-Oct. 2
Conservative Party annual conference in Manchester.
Oct. 17-18
European Union summit, with just two weeks to go until the Oct. 31 for Britain’s departure. Many in the EU expect another extension to be on the cards.
To contact the reporter on this story: Robert Hutton in London at rhutton1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Emma Ross-Thomas, Stuart Biggs
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