Leadsom Cabinet-bound after ending race

A Minister of State in David Cameron’s last government, her prominence in the referendum campaign and in particular the televised debates ahead of the vote have given her a public profile and established her as one of the leading voices for Conservative Brexiteers.

While the row over her reference to Mrs May’s lack of children will undoubtedly have soured personal relations between the pair, her prompt decision to quit the race and propel the Home Secretary to Downing Street will have done much to repair the damage.

And in political terms, Mrs May needs Mrs Leadsom’s backing to ensure Leave supporters keep faith with her Government’s Brexit negotiations.

After a bruising weekend of headlines tested Mrs Leadsom’s desire to be prime minister, she emerged from her London home to announce her decision to quit the Conservative leadership race.

She said: “The referendum result demonstrated a clear desire for change - strong leadership is needed urgently to begin the work of withdrawing from the European Union.

“A nine-week leadership campaign at such a critical moment for our country is highly undesirable.

“Business needs certainty - a strong and unified Government must move quickly to set out what an independent United Kingdom’s framework for business looks like.

“It is also essential that current EU workers in the UK and businesses that employ them know where they stand.

Mrs Leadsom acknowledged that having won the votes of less than a quarter of her parliamentary colleagues she would not have been able to lead a “strong and stable government” even if ordinary party members had backed her.

Mrs Leadsom concluded: “There is no greater privilege than to lead the Conservative Party in government and I would have been deeply honoured to do it.

“I have, however, concluded that the interests of our country are best served by the immediate appointment of a strong and well-supported prime minister.”

Before Mrs Leadsom’s announcement it had been confirmed that she had apologised to Mrs May for her comments about parenthood over the weekend.