Theresa May Poised to Become Next British Prime Minister

UK Pool/AP

British energy minister Andrea Leadsom—one of just two candidates in the race to replace David Cameron as the leader of the Conservative Party—announced on Monday she was quitting the race, a move that clears the way for home secretary Theresa May to become Britain’s next prime minister.

In a press conference on Monday, Leadsom said that a nine-week campaign was unnecessary when May had already secured support from 60 percent of their Conservative colleagues.

“The interests of our country are best served by the immediate appointment of a strong and well-supported prime minister,” she told reporters.

Her withdrawal from the race to succeed Cameron comes just days after she was quoted saying she was better-suited for the office because she is a mother, unlike her rival May.

“I have children who are going to have children who will directly be a part of what happens next,” Leadsom told the Times UK. The backlash was swift, and prompted Leadsom to personally apologize to May for the remarks.

Her decision to pull out of the race is just the latest political fallout since Britain’s referendum to leave the European Union last month. Widely seen as the frontrunner in the prime minister race, Boris Johnson—the former mayor of London and a leader of the “leave” campaign— surprised the political world late last month by announcing he would not seek the job.