Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 2016

Conservative Party (UK) leadership election

← 2005 29 June 2016 – 11 July 2016 (2016-07-11)
Candidate Theresa May Andrea Leadsom Michael Gove Popular vote Unopposed Withdrew Eliminated Second ballot 199, 60.5% 84, 25.5% 46, 14.0% First ballot 165, 50.2% 66, 20.1% 48, 14.6%   Candidate Stephen Crabb Liam Fox Second ballot Withdrew Eliminated First ballot 34, 10.3% 16, 4.9%
Leader before election David Cameron Leader after election Theresa May

David Cameron

Theresa May

The 2016 Conservative Party leadership election occurred as a result of David Cameron's resignation as leader following the European Union membership referendum, in which the UK voted to leave the EU. Cameron, who supported Britain's continued membership of the EU, made his announcement on 24 June, saying that he would step down by October. Theresa May won the contest on 11 July 2016 after the withdrawal of Andrea Leadsom left her as the sole candidate. She thus succeeded Cameron as leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Conservative MPs voted initially in a series of ballots to determine which two candidates' names would go forward to a nationwide ballot of Conservative Party members, who would make the final decision. Five Conservative members of Parliament (MPs) put themselves forward as candidates: Justice Secretary Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Stephen Crabb, former Defence Secretary Liam Fox, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change Andrea Leadsom, and Home Secretary Theresa May. Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson, seen as the front runner by political analysts, surprised many commentators by choosing not to run after Gove withdrew his backing and announced his own candidacy.

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