The sole choice for our new PM
Theresa May must be Britain's next Prime Minister and for the sake of the country, it must happen as soon as possible
THERESA May must be Britain’s next Prime Minister.
The Home Secretary is by far the most experienced and most credible of the two final contenders to run the country at this pivotal moment in our history.
It may seem odd for us to endorse her after our campaign to leave the EU. Mrs May backed Remain, albeit reluctantly.
But she has promised “Brexit means Brexit” and we believe she would deliver it. It would be politically suicidal — and dangerous — to betray the 17.4million people who voted for it.
Andrea Leadsom did back Brexit. But three days ago we said she would be a huge gamble as PM and we believe that even more strongly today. Britain knows nothing about her or her abilities. She is untested at Cabinet level.
There are question-marks over her finances and apparently misleading job claims on her CV. She has been unconvincing when questioned.
She is nowhere near ready for power.
Mrs May’s record at the Home Office is not perfect. She failed, for example, to make big cuts to the immigration she could control, from non-EU countries.
But it speaks volumes that she has held down that extremely tough role longer than anyone in history.
It is true she has been so narrowly focused on it that she has yet to reveal her wider vision for Britain.
We urge her to tell the nation, and Tory members, all about it right away. Post-Brexit, a “safe pair of hands” won’t be enough.
Britain needs a new economic plan to transform the country. Business Secretary Sajid Javid has imaginative ideas for cutting taxes and building business confidence. Does Mrs May agree?
What is her view on the welfare reforms pioneered by Iain Duncan Smith? Or on education, or defence?
The 150,000 Tory members who will decide who becomes PM must ask themselves this: who will best run Britain — and win an election in 2020?
Anyone would beat Jeremy Corbyn. But if Labour has a credible leader by then, Mrs May has a far greater chance than Mrs Leadsom of keeping power.
We are hugely disappointed Michael Gove is out of the race. He is a man of courage, principle and imagination who would have been a fine choice.
We hope he will be appointed head of the negotiating team as we extricate ourselves from the EU. The excellent Priti Patel should be in the Cabinet too.
We hope Chancellor George Osborne retains a prominent role.
It is absurd that Britain must wait till September 9 for a new Prime Minister, while our current one kicks back and ticks off the days.
It is hugely damaging for Britain to be rudderless for so long.
For the sake of the country, the Tories must cut that voting period in half.
We believe they should put Mrs May in Downing Street as soon as possible.