May selected as new British prime minister

Conservative leader Theresa May will become Britain’s next prime minister after her sole remaining rival, Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom, unexpectedly withdrew from consideration today. The race was expected to last through the summer, but now the transition will take place Wednesday. Prime Minister David Cameron announced his resignation after the country voted to leave the European Union, something he campaigned against. May also opposed the so-called “Brexit.”

Leadsom’s announcement came after a media uproar over comments she made about motherhood. She said in an interview that being a mother “means you have a very real stake in the future of our country.” Leadsom has children; May, Britain’s home secretary, does not.

After apologizing to May, Leadsom said she was dropping out because she lacked sufficient support among Conservative lawmakers. She added that “business needs certainty” in the wake of the Brexit vote, which has unsettled the markets and sent the value of the pound plunging.

“We now need a new prime minister in place as soon as possible,” Leadsom said. She is the latest politician to fall since the referendum. Former London Mayor Boris Johnson and Justice Secretary Michael Gove both saw their hopes for the country’s top office dashed amid political and economic turmoil.

May has declared that “Brexit means Brexit” and pledged she won’t try to stop Britain leaving the EU.