LONDON — Theresa May will on Friday resign as Conservative party leader, paving the way for a successor to replace her as prime minister in July.

The prime minister will send a letter to the chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs, before triggering the official start of the campaign to replace her.

She will leave her successor the inheritance of a bitterly divided party, historically low poll ratings and an impending political crisis as Britain once again approaches a potential no-deal Brexit in October.

Business Insider has spoken to Conservative MPs and political experts about why things went so badly wrong for May and how she could have handled her time in office differently.

Here are five strategic mistakes that defined Theresa May's premiership.

British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves after addressing a media conference at an EU summit in Brussels. AP/Frank Augstein

Theresa May's decision to call a snap general election in 2017 will be remembered as a political mistake of historic proportions.

However, at the time it did not appear to be so.

With the Conservatives high in the polls, ,uch of the press and many of her colleagues hailed it as a strategic masterstroke which could increase the slender majority she had inherited from David Cameron and provide much-needed wiggle room to push through Brexit. The Daily Mail billed it as a plan to "crush the saboteurs."

It didn't quite work out like that. In fact when the results came in on June 8, 2017, the Conservatives had lost their majority and May's political authority had all but vanished. It would never recover.

May's mistake was arguably not the decision to call the election itself.

"In terms of the basics, she needed to get a Withdrawal Agreement through, and it wasn't going to happen with parliament as it was pre-election," said Anand Menon, professor of European politics and foreign affairs at King's College London.

"So you could do with a bigger majority and you had those polls. Why not?"

However, the way May fought the election campaign proved to be a disaster.

Theresa May produced a manifesto, largely the work of her advisor Nick Timothy, which included a policy that would force elderly people to pay for all but £100,000 of their care costs. It was immediately dubbed the "dementia tax" and became immensely unpopular.

Then there was the prime minister herself. Much of the Conservative campaign focused on May's perceived personal qualities, with the key slogan urging voters to back her "strong and stable" leadership. However, her campaign appearances failed to live up to the message.

Awkward and sometimes irritable, May was quickly dubbed the "Maybot" for her often robotic appearances.

"Politicians in general aren't brilliant when it comes to self-awareness," said Anand Menon. "But I don't understand how she could not know she wasn't a very good campaigner."

Conservative MPs say the prime minister was deeply mistaken to focus the campaign on her personal leadership qualities when she had so few, in particular citing her refusal to take part in televised debates with other party leaders.

One pro-Brexit MP said that May's refusal to do so was a "profound mistake that had a shattering impact on the Conservative vote."

"She made the whole thing about leadership and then refused to do leaders' debates,"

"There's a perfectly legitimate argument not to do leaders' debates," they said.

"But you can't say "this is all about leadership," then refuse to participate in them."

Many of May's colleagues say she never recovered the authority or confidence when the results came in.

"The election result destroyed her confidence as prime minister," said one Tory MP who had initially supported the prime minister's decision to call an election.

"When you start going backwards you never really recover."

Perhaps the biggest of May's mistakes was triggering the two-year Article 50 process without a clear strategy of how to approach an incredibly complex set of negotiations.

Former UK diplomat Sir Ivan Rogers has been one of the most vocal critics of how May's government approached the early stages of the Brexit process — and her decision to trigger Article 50 without having developed a detailed strategy.

He resigned as the UK's Permanent Representative to the EU just weeks before May triggered Article 50, citing her government's "muddled thinking," "ill-founded arguments" and a chronic lack of "serious multilateral negotiating experience" in the UK team.

The UK's lack of preparation and negotiating experience meant it was vulnerable in negotiations, giving even greater leverage to the EU than it already had as a group of 27 economies rather than one.

May also made the decision to trigger the two-year Brexit countdown without having started to make serious preparations for a no-deal Brexit.

EU leaders had no reason to take her threats of walking away seriously when she had given the UK very little time to prepare for such a momentous potential outcome.

Jill Rutter, Director of the Institute For Government think tank, said that Roger's dramatic resignation was arguably "the most symbolic moment" in the story of Theresa May's downfall.

"It was a message: 'I'm trying to give you advice and you're not listening'," she told Business Insider.

Rutter said it reflected May's "inability to engage with inconvenient advice" and her "refusal to engage with the reality of negotiations in Brussels."

When May became prime minister she quickly came under intense pressure to reveal her vision for Brexit.

Some MPs wanted her to pursue what became known as a "soft" exit in which the UK would leave the EU but stay very close to its markets, like countries such as Norway and Switzerland are.

However, most Brexit-backing Conservative MPs urged her to instead negotiate a "hard" exit in which the UK would move far away from EU institutions and markets.

After consulting with her small team of advisors, May decided to go with the latter, and told the Conservative party's 2016 conference that the UK would leave the single market, customs union, and European Court of Justice, insisting that "Brexit means Brexit."

Anand Menon said this was a "stand out" moment in understanding the Brexit crisis which awaited May further down the line.

"The moments that stand out are the first Sunday at Tory Party Conference in 2016 when she hinted at her red lines and said we're leaving the customs union," he told Business Insider.

"Those four days were absolutely unbelievable."

He said that these radical promises combined with her infamous "citizens of nowhere" speech, in which she was accused of dismissing Remainers as being un-British, pointed to a harder Brexit than most people had been expecting.

"Until that moment you could legitimately wonder about what direction Brexit was going to head."

The big problem was that the prime minister's conference promises were simply incompatible with her negotiating objectives of maintaining frictionless trade with the EU and preserving the status quo on the island of Ireland.

She boxed herself in and set up incredibly difficult negotiations in which either her personal pledges or her Brexit objectives would ultimately have to be binned.

IFG Director Jill Rutter told Business Insider that rather than pursuing a Brexit which reflected the 52/48 referendum result, May decided to try an implement a version of the project designed to delight her most hardline pro-Leave MPs.

"Then she went into a shell and we heard nothing from her until she came out with her red lines at the Tory party conference. Her Chequers [Brexit proposals] and the Withdrawal Agreement were her trying to row back on some red lines.

"But that set the direction of the type of Brexit she was going for."

The Brexit deal that May eventually negotiated with European counterparts was rejected by MPs three times.

The first was the biggest ever defeat for a UK government, with a House of Commons majority of 230 voting it down.

In a last-ditch attempt to breathe new life into the Withdrawal Agreement, May last month tried for a fourth time to get pro-Remain MPs on board, by promising the chance to vote for a new referendum if they backed the deal.

The plan backfired spectacularly. The pro-Remain MPs it was intended to entice were not convinced and pro-Brexit MPs were absolutely furious, to the point where they launched an ultimately successful coup to get rid of her.

However, many Conservative MPs and those familiar with May's government believe that while the deal had flaws, it could have got through the House of Commons had the prime minister not been so poor at selling its upsides.

"The number 10 operation was absolutely atrocious," a former Cabinet minister told Business Insider.

"That's why the party felt like it had to step in. Every time [Downing Street] said something it just got even worse."

One example of this was the contentious "backstop" for avoiding a border on the island of Ireland.

The backstop is loathed by most Conservative MPs and the Democratic Unionist Party which props up the government, as it would potentially lead to border checks between Northern Ireland and the rest of Great Britain.

It would also keep the United Kingdom in a customs union with the EU without a fixed exit date.

However, as influential Brexiteer Henry Newman wrote earlier this year, the backstop, although not ideal, would let the UK "have its cake and eat it" through tariff-free access to the single market, without being a member.

Newman said this point was barely made because "Downing Street is appallingly bad at explaining its own policies."

Other Conservative MPs agree. One told Business Insider: "A prime minister needs to be like the managing director of a business. They need to be a team captain, and they should be to be able to get the most out of people around them.

"But they should also be a good salesperson. The prime minister wasn't.

"She had lots of skills: She was a great details person, she had great resilience.

"But she wasn't a good salesperson, and that was a big part of the problem."

In the aftermath of the disastrous general election in 2017, the prime minister might have pursued a very different strategy, reaching across to Labour MPs to establish what sort of Brexit might command a majority in the House.

"You could imagine an alternative world in which she said: 'This is very close, we need to think about what this means for our country, I'm going to put out consultation documents to see what [Brexit] should look like, and when I should trigger Article 50'," said Jill Rutter.

But she didn't, opting instead to pursue a vision of Brexit which was a "Conservative party project" rather than a cross-party policy goal, Rutter said.

Faced with a tiny working majority and a permanent rebellion on her own backbenches, the prime minister was always unlikely to deliver Brexit without Labour votes. But she appeared not to recognise this fact until it was too late.

By the time she sought cross-party talks with Labour in April 2019, the parliamentary divisions were too deep and May's credibility with opposition parties too low. Theresa May's time in office appeared to be limited to a few months and John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, said making a deal with her government would be like signing a contract with a company which was about to enter administration.

Neither did Downing Street's "compromise" plan appear to make any significant concessions to the opposition, with Labour demanding a full customs union, which was never forthcoming, and May's offer to let MPs vote on whether to hold a second referendum received by Conservative colleagues with a fury that Downing Street had not anticipated.

By the time May made her final offer of holding a Commons vote on a second referendum, the die had been cast and May's premiership would soon be over. </s> Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary David Davis have both resigned.

And there's no obvious way of uniting her party when it comes to Brexit, on which different Tory MPs have very different views.

It's possible Theresa May will carry on as Prime Minister for a while longer.

But if she is forced to resign, who will replace her?

Assuming she quits before the next general election, the next Prime Minister will be another Conservative. That means they will be chosen by Tory MPs and party members.

Of course, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn might become Prime Minister before long, if Labour wins the next general election.

But it still seems likely that he won't be Prime Minister immediately after Theresa May.

Polling company YouGov has been asking Conservatives who they want as their next leader, and here are the results:

The most popular potential replacement for Theresa May is Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary and MP for Bromsgrove.

YouGov found 62 per cent of party members believed he would make a good leader.

Aged 48, he's the son of a bus driver from Rochdale.

Mr Javid would be the first Prime Minister representing a West Midlands seat since Anthony Eden, who represented Warwick and Leamington.

He would also be the first Asian Prime Minister and the first Prime Minister from a Muslim backround.

The leader of the Scottish Conservative Party is popular with members.

She's a liberal-minded centre-ground Tory who is having a baby with her same-sex partner. In the EU referendum she backed the remain campaign.

Ms Davidson comes across as likeable and more down-to-earth than some Conservatives.

YouGov found 61 of party members thought she would make a good leader.

The problem for the party is that she isn't actually an MP, and instead is a member of the Scottish Parliament. She'd need to be an MP before she could become Tory leader.

But he's extremely influential as chair of the European Research Group, which represents anti-EU Conservative MPs.

The Conservative MP has been called the “Honourable Member for the 18th century”, and some of his ideas do seem old-fashioned.

He’s got six children, but says he’s never changed a nappy because the family nanny does it instead.

He’s embraced Twitter but his first message to followers was in Latin, reading: “Tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis”. It means: “the times change, and we change with them”.

And he once recited a 19th century poem in the House of Commons, somewhat to the annoyance of MPs who were trying to debate animal welfare.

The former Foreign Secretary would make a good leader according to 47 per cent of Tories.

But his role as one of the leaders of the "leave" campaign makes him a divisive figure.

For a long time, Conservatives thought Boris could reach the parts of the UK that other Tories could not. People liked him.

But he may not be as popular as he used to be.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is popular within the party.

And 49 per cent of members think he would make a good leader.

But he oversaw reforms to the NHS that made him very unpopular with some health service workers.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has been Education Secretary and Justice Secretary.

He was a leader of the "leave" campaign in the EU referendum.

Nobody can deny that Mr Gove is smart. In person, he's extremely likeable.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, was a vital support for Mrs May in his former role as Chief Whip.

However, he is said to have upset some Conservative MPs.

It seems unlikely that Theresa May will stay on as Prime Minister until the next election.

But if she does, the country will face a choice between giving the Tories under her leadership another term in office - or making Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn the next Prime Minister. </s> ANDREA Leadsom has sensationally resigned from her position in Theresa May's cabinet.

The leader of the House of Commons has tweeted to say she has quit her post in defiance at Theresa May's refusal to stand down. She wrote: "It is with great regret and a heavy heart that I have decided to resign from the Government." According to sources, Leadsom had been preparing to mount a leadership bid to become Prime Minister as soon as the PM announced her departure. But May managed to cling on tonight, refusing to meet a furious cabinet and saying she will even be out campaigning tomorrow.

Leadsom herself ran for the leadership of the Conservative Party in the wake of the referendum to leave the European Union that saw David Cameron resign as Prime Minister. But a gaffe-prone campaign saw her lose the race, with Theresa May eventually becoming PM. However, in a stinging resignation letter, the top Tory said she urged May to "make the right decisions in the interests of the country [and] this Government", adding: “I no longer believe that our approach will deliver on the referendum result”. She also said her decision to quit was over Brexit, stating that she no longer thinks the Government can deliver on the result of the referendum and blasting the PM's decision to offer a second vote.

It seems May's premiership is now all but over tonight as ministers line up to criticise her disastrous handling of Brexit. Explaining the timing of her resignation the night before the UK goes to the polls in the European elections, she said: "I considered carefully the timing of this decision, but I cannot fulfil my duty as Leader of the House tomorrow, to announce a Bill with new elements that I fundamentally oppose. "I fully respect the integrity, resolution and determination that you have shown during your time as Prime Minister." It now looks as though Theresa May could resign on Friday, with a meeting with the Conservatives' ruling 1922 Committee scheduled.

Sources inside Whitehall are now saying she has merely bought herself another 36 hours, but that her departure is still imminent. There is also speculation that she has delayed quitting until after the EU election so that she can take some of the blame if the Conservative Party does disastrously. It is believed she might do that to give the Tories some chance of bouncing back in the polls. </s> Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Andrea Leadsom: "I couldn't support the Brexit bill"

Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom has quit the cabinet, saying she no longer believes the government's approach will deliver Brexit.

Her resignation comes amid a backlash against Theresa May's Brexit plan from Conservative MPs.

Several cabinet ministers have told the BBC that the PM cannot stay, with one saying it is "the end of the line".

In a letter to Mrs Leadsom, the PM wrote she was "sorry to lose someone of [her] passion, drive and sincerity".

Mrs May also said she disagreed with "the assessment you now give about our approach" to Brexit.

Mrs Leadsom previously ran for Tory leader but withdrew, clearing the path for Mrs May to become prime minister.

As Commons leader, she was in charge of organising government business and had been due to announce when the prime minister's Withdrawal Agreement Bill would be introduced to Parliament.

Her resignation is the 36th by a minister under Theresa May - 21 of them over Brexit - and comes a day before the UK votes in the European elections.

The move came after a day of drama at Westminster in which anger grew at the prime minister's attempt to win backing for the bill - the legislation needed to implement the agreement between the UK and EU on the terms of Brexit.

As part of it, Mrs May has offered a number of changes, including a chance for MPs to hold a vote on another referendum if they back the bill.

In a letter to the prime minister, Mrs Leadsom - MP for South Northamptonshire - said she did not believe "the UK would be a truly sovereign United Kingdom through the deal that is now proposed".

She also described holding another referendum as "dangerously divisive", and said she was opposed to the government "willingly facilitating such a concession".

Another referendum would "risk undermining our Union which is something I passionately want to see strengthened", she said.

She also attacked the "breakdown of government processes", saying that Brexit-related legislation proposals had not been "properly scrutinised".

She concluded her letter by paying tribute to "the integrity, resolution and determination" of the prime minister and urging her to "make the right decisions in the interests of the country, the government and our party".

But in her response, Mrs May said her bill would deliver Brexit for the UK, and sought to assure her departing colleague that she continued to be opposed to a second referendum - arguing it would be "divisive".

'A step too far'

BBC political correspondent Jonathan Blake said that Mrs Leadsom had made many compromises over Brexit.

"She clearly feels the new improved bill - as Theresa May has styled it - was a step too far," he added.

"It is an extraordinary sequence of events for a key member of the Cabinet to resign on the eve of elections.

"It is unlikely that we will see others follow her immediately, but getting into Friday and the weekend, things could move swiftly."

BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said Home Secretary Sajid Javid "isn't going anywhere", but added that his backers said he wasn't happy about the second referendum part of Mrs May's offer.

Who is Andrea Leadsom?

Andrea Leadsom was the MP who stood against Theresa May for leadership of the Conservative Party in 2016, following David Cameron's resignation after the EU referendum.

She decided to withdraw from the race, leaving Theresa May as PM, following an interview in which she suggested that being a mother made her a better candidate for the job.

Mrs Leadsom campaigned for Leave during the Brexit campaign, appearing on the panel at the final TV debate of the campaign at Wembley Arena, alongside Boris Johnson and then Labour MP Gisela Stuart.

She served as environment secretary between July 2016 and June 2017, and more recently as Leader of the House, a role which means she organises and announces government business in Parliament.

Tim Loughton - the Conservative MP who ran Mrs Leadsom's campaign to be party leader - said she had "great integrity", and left because she couldn't support the prime minister's bill.

Pro-EU Conservative MP Dominic Grieve said he was sorry that Mrs Leadsom had resigned, but added that some of this colleagues are "living in world of fantasy".

"They refuse to accept they can't carry out Brexit in the way that they want," he said.

Labour MP Ian Lavery said the resignation showed "the prime minister's authority is shot and her time is up".

His colleague Jess Phillips praised Mrs Leadsom, saying: "I liked Leadsom. She had our back in the complaints process and she was vital in the proxy voting."

'Tough it out'

The minister's resignation capped a difficult day for the prime minister who continued to resist calls to quit herself.

Several cabinet ministers broke cover on Wednesday afternoon to signal their unhappiness with the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, among them Home Secretary Sajid Javid.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt also requested a private meeting with the PM to discuss the situation.

But BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the PM declined to meet the ministers - both of whom are seen as possible contenders to be the next Conservative leader - and instead seemed determined to "tough it out".

Image copyright PA Image caption Sir Graham Brady announcing that the PM had survived a no confidence vote in December 2018

The 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs had been expected to vote on Wednesday evening on whether to change the party's rules to allow an immediate vote of no confidence in the prime minister.

Current rules dictate that as the PM survived such a vote in December, she cannot face another one for 12 months.

Mrs May is now scheduled to meet the committee's chairman, Sir Graham Brady on Friday.

Laura Kuenssberg said the PM appeared to have bought herself 36 hours.

The PM had already pledged to set a timetable for a new leader to take over after MPs vote on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill. That, in theory at least, is expected to happen on 7 June.

What is in the Withdrawal Agreement Bill?

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Theresa May says failure to back her deal risks "no Brexit at all"

Mrs May is bringing the Withdrawal Agreement Bill - legislation required to bring her agreement into UK law - to Parliament in early June.

In an attempt to win over MPs across the House, she announced the following concessions:

A guarantee of a Commons vote on whether to hold another referendum on the government's Brexit deal

A vote on different customs options, including a government proposal for a temporary customs union for goods - what Mrs May called a "customs compromise"

A legal obligation for the UK to "seek to conclude alternative arrangements" to replace the Northern Ireland backstop by the end of 2020

If the backstop does come into force, the bill would guarantee Northern Ireland remains aligned with the rest of the UK and remains in same customs territory

Legislation to ensure workers rights are "every bit as good, if not better" after Brexit - and guarantees of no dilution in environmental standards

A legal duty to seek changes to the political declaration on future relations with the EU

What are the Tory leadership rules? </s> Image copyright Getty Images

Boris Johnson is the new leader of the Conservative party. He officially becomes prime minister on Wednesday, after Theresa May formally resigns.

But what will his new job actually involve?

What does the prime minister do?

The prime minister is the leader of the government and is appointed by the Queen. Normally, he or she is the leader of the party that wins a general election.

It's the prime minister's job to appoint members to the government, known as ministers. Only a small number of MPs actually get these roles.

The most senior figures are called cabinet ministers and they oversee government departments - such as the Treasury and the Home Office.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Boris Johnson was elected Conservative leader after winning more than 92,000 votes

The prime minister can, at any time, hire and fire ministers. They can also abolish government departments or create brand new ones.

Alongside the chancellor, the prime minister is also in charge of tax-and-spending policy.

And the prime minister can also bring in new laws - so long as they receive the backing of Parliament.

Ultimately, the prime minister is responsible for all government policy and decisions.

What other powers does the prime minister have?

The prime minister has overall control of the civil service - the people and departments that carry out the government's decisions.

They can award honours, such as knighthoods and damehoods. They can also award peerages.

They also have a number of responsibilities relating to defence and security.

For example, they have the power to send the UK's armed forces into action. However, recent convention says Parliament should also approve such a decision.

A number of special responsibilities also rest on the prime minister's shoulders, such as deciding whether to shoot down a hijacked or unidentified aircraft.

They can also authorise the use of UK nuclear weapons.

How are prime ministers held to account?

Despite these powers, a prime minister can't just take any decision they like.

Prime ministers need to retain the confidence of most MPs. That's because laws can only be passed if a majority of MPs vote them through.

If a government repeatedly loses votes, MPs could choose to call a "motion of no confidence". If a prime minister loses such a vote, they face the prospect of a general election.

If the prime minister's party loses a general election, they must resign so the leader of the winning party can take over.

In theory, the Queen has the power to sack a prime minister if it was felt they were acting against the country's interest. That, however, would trigger a constitutional crisis.

Who got to choose the prime minister?

Boris Johnson needed the backing of both Conservative MPs and ordinary party members.

To start with, 10 Tory MPs were nominated as possible prime ministers. But a series of secret votes by Conservative MPs whittled them down to two - Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt.

Both Mr Johnson and Mr Hunt took part in a series of debates, before paid-up members of the Tory Party voted for who they wanted.

That meant about 160,000 people were able to choose the leader of a country of more than 65 million people.

Boris Johnson received 92,153 votes compared to Jeremy Hunt's 46,656.

Most Conservative party members are over 55 and a large majority are from the top social class.

Why wasn't there a general election?

A new prime minister doesn't necessarily mean a general election is inevitable.

As the Conservatives are already in power, they won't have to hold one - so long as Boris Johnson can command the support of the majority of MPs.

If he did decide to call an election, the prime minister would need at least two-thirds of MPs to agree to it.

Where does this leave Brexit?

Despite Theresa May's departure, the problem of Brexit is far from resolved.

Coming up with a solution that will define the future relationship of the UK with its European neighbours will keep Boris Johnson very busy.

Mr Johnson has pledged to renegotiate the existing deal - the one Mrs May failed to pass three times.

But there's also no guarantee that a revised deal can be agreed before the Brexit deadline.

However, Mr Johnson is adamant the UK will leave on 31 October "deal or no deal".

What are the perks?

The prime minister is expected to live and work in 10 Downing Street - the office of the prime minister since 1735.

However, there are some exceptions. Tony Blair, who had a young family, chose to reside in Number 11 in 1997 - as it had a larger living area.

In addition, the prime minister has an official country residence, Chequers, which is free to be used at any time.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Chequers has been the official country residence of the UK prime minister since 1921

Boris Johnson will be driven in an official prime ministerial car. Currently, it's a custom-built Jaguar XJ Sentinel.

As for salary, the prime minister is currently paid £150,402 a year. </s> JEREMY Corbyn would have been the next Prime Minister if it wasn’t for Scottish votes, says a major UK news outlet.

According to an article by the London Evening Standard, the Labour leader was thwarted in his attempt to become Prime Minister by the strong performance of the Conservative Party in Scotland.

May secured a return to Number 10 despite a dire election night which saw her party’s presence in Westminster drop from 331 seats to 318, with the number of Labour MPs increasing by 32 seats to 262.

This result means the Conservatives failed to win a majority and are now looking to broker a controversial deal with Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party in order to gain enough seats.

READ MORE: Sturgeon would explore ‘progressive alliance’ with Labour

Published earlier today by the London Evening Standard, a newspaper edited by former Tory chancellor George Osborne, the article argues that without the 14 seats secured by the Conservative Party in Scotland, Theresa May would not have been in a strong enough position to form a government at all.

In the 2015 General Election the Scottish National Party won an incredible 56 out of 59 available seats in Scotland, but a reversal of fortunes on Thursday night saw that whittled down to 35 with the Conservative Party benefitting the most.

Former SNP leader Alex Salmond and the party’s Westminster leader Angus Robertson were among the high profile casualties as the party dropped from 50 per cent of the popular vote to 37 per cent.

If not for the extra seats won by Scottish Tories, the Labour Party could have formed a coalition and would now be in control of Westminster, according to the Evening Standard:

“Without the 14 seats won by the Scottish Conservatives, Mrs May’s party would have been languishing on just 305 seats.

“Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP, who are likely to have mopped up the votes between them, would have outnumbered the Tories and are likely to have defeated the PM in a Queen’s Speech vote, paving the way for a coalition led by Mr Corbyn.”

However, just three weeks ago Corbyn had insisted that in the event of a hung parliament he would not do a deal with the SNP to gain power at Westminster.

Speaking on 29 May, Mr Corbyn said: “There will be no deals. There will be no alliance. We’re fighting this election to win.

READ MORE: Corbyn rules out deal with SNP

“Only Labour or the Tories can win this election and voting Labour is the only way to remove Theresa May from office and build a Scotland for the many, not the few.”

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon had previously claimed that she would be in favour of a ‘progressive alliance’ with Labour. </s> (CNN) From world leader to the wilderness in just under three months.

David Cameron, the former British Prime Minister, has announced he will stand down as a member of Parliament for his constituency of Witney immediately, triggering a by-election.

Cameron, who has served in Parliament since 2001, stepped down as Prime Minister in the aftermath of June's Brexit vote i n which the UK decided to leave the European Union.

He had previously said that he was "keen to continue" in his role as a backbench MP after stepping away from Downing Street but has since decided such a role is untenable.

The Camerons walk back into 10 Downing Street after David Cameron announces his resignation following the UK's decision to leave the European Union on June 23.

The Camerons walk back into 10 Downing Street after David Cameron announces his resignation following the UK's decision to leave the European Union on June 23.

Cameron attends a remembrance service for Labour MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in her constituency in June.

Cameron attends a remembrance service for Labour MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in her constituency in June.

Cameron tries to get the youth vote in April 2016, ahead of the referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union.

Cameron tries to get the youth vote in April 2016, ahead of the referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union.

Cameron puts on a pair of wellington boots after severe flooding hit large parts of northern England in December 2015.

Cameron puts on a pair of wellington boots after severe flooding hit large parts of northern England in December 2015.

The Prime Minister talks with Theresa May during the state visit of China's Xi Jinping in October 2015.

The Prime Minister talks with Theresa May during the state visit of China's Xi Jinping in October 2015.

Cameron is captured on camera eating a hot dog with a knife and fork during the 2015 general election campaign.

Cameron is captured on camera eating a hot dog with a knife and fork during the 2015 general election campaign.

Cameron bows as he greets Queen Elizabeth II during the Mexican President's state visit on March 3, 2015.

Cameron bows as he greets Queen Elizabeth II during the Mexican President's state visit on March 3, 2015.

Cameron speaks at a memorial service for Sir Winston Churchill in January 2015, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of his state funeral.

Cameron speaks at a memorial service for Sir Winston Churchill in January 2015, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of his state funeral.

Cameron urges Scotland not to vote to leave the UK during a pre-referendum speech in Aberdeen ahead of the 2014 vote.

Cameron urges Scotland not to vote to leave the UK during a pre-referendum speech in Aberdeen ahead of the 2014 vote.

Cameron stands beside the then London Mayor Boris Johnson as the Olympic cauldron is lit for the Paralympic Games on August 24, 2012 in London.

Cameron stands beside the then London Mayor Boris Johnson as the Olympic cauldron is lit for the Paralympic Games on August 24, 2012 in London.

Cameron and his wife Samantha wave on the steps of Downing Street on May 11, 2010 after he took office.

Cameron and his wife Samantha wave on the steps of Downing Street on May 11, 2010 after he took office.

The newly-elected Cameron leaves his parliamentary office on December 7, 2005 in London.

The newly-elected Cameron leaves his parliamentary office on December 7, 2005 in London.

Cameron was a fresh-faced candidate for leadership of the Conservative Party when he beat David Davis, Liam Fox and Kenneth Clarke to the post in October 2005.

Cameron was a fresh-faced candidate for leadership of the Conservative Party when he beat David Davis, Liam Fox and Kenneth Clarke to the post in October 2005.

David Cameron's time as British prime minister is coming to a close as he hands over the reins to Theresa May.

David Cameron's time as British prime minister is coming to a close as he hands over the reins to Theresa May.

"In my view, the circumstances of my resignation as Prime Minister and the realities of modern politics make it very difficult to continue on the backbenches without the risk of becoming a diversion to the important decisions that lie ahead for my successor in Downing Street and the Government," he said in a statement Monday.

"I fully support Theresa May and have every confidence that Britain will thrive under her strong leadership.

"I now look forward to a life outside of Westminster, but hope to continue to play a part in public service and to make a real and useful contribution to the country I love."

Cameron, 49, became Conservative leader in 2005 and Prime Minister in 2010.

He said he had conferred with his successor before making his decision public.

"I spoke to Theresa May and she was very understanding about this decision," Cameron told ITV.

"I support her. I support what she's doing. She's got off to a cracking start. Obviously I'm going to have my own views about different issues; people would know that. And that's really the point.

"As a former prime minister it is very difficult, I think, to sit as a backbencher and not be an enormous diversion and distraction from what the government is doing.

"I don't want to be that distraction. I want Witney to have an MP that can play a full role in parliamentary and political life in a way that I think I would find very difficult, if not impossible."

Under Cameron's leadership, the Conservatives won the 2010 general election, ending Labour's 13 years in government, although the party was forced into entering a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats.

In the end, Cameron's undoing was his belief that he could end the constant infighting within the Conservative Party over the UK's position in Europe.

His decision to call a referendum proved an unnecessary and costly gamble.

"I'm sure I will be remembered for keeping that pledge to hold a referendum when many people thought that promise would never be kept," he told ITV.

"But I hope that people will look back at the 11 years I was leader of the Conservative Party and six years as Prime Minister of our country as a time when we did create a stronger economy -- 1,000 people found work for every day I was prime minister -- and we did make some important social reforms ... and the Conservative Party went from being in the doldrums and getting beaten to being a modernizing, winning force in British politics.

"But the historians will have to work all that out. I obviously now am going to be looking at a new life, but I'm only 49 -- I hope I can still contribute in terms of public service and contribute to our country."

May, who is now tasked with dealing with the fallout from Brexit, expressed pride in having served alongside her predecessor.

"Not just stabilizing the economy, but also making great strides in delivering serious social reform.

"His commitment to lead a one nation Government is one that I will continue -- and I thank him for everything he has done for the Conservative Party and the country. I wish him and his family well for the future."

Cameron is now focusing on that future, and while he did not elaborate on his plans, he insisted he would not shy away from campaigning on the issues he is passionate about.

"The only firm decision I've made is to leave the House of Commons and stop being an MP -- as I say, with a heavy heart, because I've loved the jobs but I don't think it works for a former prime minister who resigned in my circumstances and with all the new government needs to do," he added.

"Issues for the future. I'll decide them in the future and, hopefully, as I say, continue to make some ... public service contribution to this country. I want to continue campaigning on the local, national and indeed international issues that were part of my prime ministership where I think we made some good progress. There's still a lot more to be done." </s> (CNN) From world leader to the wilderness in just under three months.

David Cameron, the former British Prime Minister has announced he will stand down as a member of parliament for his constituency of Witney immediately, triggering a by-election.

Cameron, who has worked in Parliament since 2001, stepped down as Prime minister in the aftermath of the Brexit vote i n which the UK decided to leave the European Union.

He had previously said that he was "keen to continue" in his role as a backbench MP after stepping away from Downing Street but has since decided such a role is untenable.

The Camerons walk back into 10 Downing Street after David Cameron announces his resignation following the UK's decision to leave the European Union on June 23.

The Camerons walk back into 10 Downing Street after David Cameron announces his resignation following the UK's decision to leave the European Union on June 23.

Cameron attends a remembrance service for Labour MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in her constituency in June.

Cameron attends a remembrance service for Labour MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in her constituency in June.

Cameron tries to get the youth vote in April 2016, ahead of the referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union.

Cameron tries to get the youth vote in April 2016, ahead of the referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union.

Cameron puts on a pair of wellington boots after severe flooding hit large parts of northern England in December 2015.

Cameron puts on a pair of wellington boots after severe flooding hit large parts of northern England in December 2015.

The Prime Minister talks with Theresa May during the state visit of China's Xi Jinping in October 2015.

The Prime Minister talks with Theresa May during the state visit of China's Xi Jinping in October 2015.

Cameron is captured on camera eating a hot dog with a knife and fork during the 2015 general election campaign.

Cameron is captured on camera eating a hot dog with a knife and fork during the 2015 general election campaign.

Cameron bows as he greets Queen Elizabeth II during the Mexican President's state visit on March 3, 2015.

Cameron bows as he greets Queen Elizabeth II during the Mexican President's state visit on March 3, 2015.

Cameron speaks at a memorial service for Sir Winston Churchill in January 2015, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of his state funeral.

Cameron speaks at a memorial service for Sir Winston Churchill in January 2015, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of his state funeral.

Cameron urges Scotland not to vote to leave the UK during a pre-referendum speech in Aberdeen ahead of the 2014 vote.

Cameron urges Scotland not to vote to leave the UK during a pre-referendum speech in Aberdeen ahead of the 2014 vote.

Cameron stands beside the then London Mayor Boris Johnson as the Olympic cauldron is lit for the Paralympic Games on August 24, 2012 in London.

Cameron stands beside the then London Mayor Boris Johnson as the Olympic cauldron is lit for the Paralympic Games on August 24, 2012 in London.

Cameron and his wife Samantha wave on the steps of Downing Street on May 11, 2010 after he took office.

Cameron and his wife Samantha wave on the steps of Downing Street on May 11, 2010 after he took office.

The newly-elected Cameron leaves his parliamentary office on December 7, 2005 in London.

The newly-elected Cameron leaves his parliamentary office on December 7, 2005 in London.

Cameron was a fresh-faced candidate for leadership of the Conservative Party when he beat David Davis, Liam Fox and Kenneth Clarke to the post in October 2005.

Cameron was a fresh-faced candidate for leadership of the Conservative Party when he beat David Davis, Liam Fox and Kenneth Clarke to the post in October 2005.

David Cameron's time as British prime minister is coming to a close as he hands over the reins to Theresa May.

David Cameron's time as British prime minister is coming to a close as he hands over the reins to Theresa May.

"In my view, the circumstances of my resignation as Prime Minister and the realities of modern politics make it very difficult to continue on the backbenches without the risk of becoming a diversion to the important decisions that lie ahead for my successor in Downing Street and the Government," he said in a statement Monday.

"I fully support Theresa May and have every confidence that Britain will thrive under her strong leadership.

"I now look forward to a life outside of Westminster, but hope to continue to play a part in public service and to make a real and useful contribution to the country I love."

Cameron, 49, became Conservative leader in 2005 and Prime minister in 2010.

He revealed that he spoke with his successor before making the decision public.

"I spoke to Theresa May and she was very understanding about this decision," Cameron told ITV.

"I support her. I support what she's doing. She's got off to a cracking start. Obviously I'm going to have my own views about different issues; people would know that. And that's really the point.

"As a former prime minister it is very difficult, I think, to sit as a backbencher and not be an enormous diversion and distraction from what the government is doing.

"I don't want to be that distraction. I want Witney to have an MP that can play a full role in parliamentary and political life in a way that I think I would find very difficult, if not impossible."

Under Cameron's leadership, the Conservatives won the 2010 general election, ending Labour's 13 years in government, although the party was forced into entering a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats.

During his time as Prime minister, he introduced same-sex marriage in 2013 and held off the threat of Scottish independence after a referendum in 2014.

In the end, Cameron's undoing was his belief that he could end the constant infighting within the Conservative Party over the UK's position in Europe.

His decision to call a referendum proved an unnecessary and costly gamble.

Mrs May, who is now tasked with dealing with the fallout from Brexit, said she was "proud" to have served alongside her predecessor.

"Not just stabilizing the economy, but also making great strides in delivering serious social reform.

"His commitment to lead a one nation Government is one that I will continue -- and I thank him for everything he has done for the Conservative party and the country.

"I wish him and his family well for the future." </s> London [UK], Jun 7 (ANI): British Prime Minister Theresa May formally resigned as the head of the Conservative Party on Friday, setting off the campaign among eleven Members of Parliament to replace her, both as the party head and the country's PM.

However, May will remain the acting Prime Minister until a new leader is chosen, reports Sputnik.

In a tearful speech last month, 62-year-old May had announced that she would step down as the PM and party head, in consideration to the fact that she failed to pass her Brexit agreement in the Parliament despite repeated efforts and negotiations with the Labour Party.

At least eleven Conservative MPs are aiming to replace her, including the country's former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, and current Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, among others. The candidates are required to announce formal nominations next week, starting June 10.

May assumed the Prime Minister's office in July 2016 after her predecessor and party colleague David Cameron stepped down from the post, following the Brexit referendum, which saw 52 per cent of the electorate voting in favour of the country leaving the EU.

For long, May had been making efforts to push her beleaguered agreement or an alternative withdrawal deal through the British Parliament in a bid to prevent the UK from participating in the European Parliament elections. After the deal was rejected thrice in the UK parliament, May accepted her defeat and announced her resignation.

Last month, the EU leaders agreed to delay the Brexit process to another six months, with October 31 as the new date for the UK's withdrawal from the European bloc. (ANI)
UK Prime Minister Theresa May resigns as Leader of the Conservative Party, paving the way for a new Prime Minister to be elected.