Already serving as Home Secretary, Mrs May became Leader of the Conservative Party and therefore Prime Minister on 13 July 2016.
The leadership race was triggered by the resignation of David Cameron after the UK voted to leave the European Union. During this time Mrs. May stayed largely out of the campaign. She delivered one speech and positioned herself as a ‘reluctant remainer’ most likely out of loyalty to Mr. Cameron.
Since July last year, Mrs. May has had to deal with managing, to some, the still unimaginable victory of Donald Trump and terrorism literally on her doorstep at Westminster. There has also been a budget slip up, angering the self-employed in what looked like a breach of a manifesto commitment.
Despite this, she has, in my view, risen to these challenges with the statesman like manner required of a Prime Minister. At times she echoes the confident manner and approach of a certain Mrs. Thatcher.
With no mandate of her own from the British people, Mrs. May decided, she says ‘reluctantly’ to call a General Election on 8th June, despite repeatedly saying she did not want one. There’s that word again – reluctant. However, she was headstrong in her put down to Sky News presenter Adam Boulton who started to speculate her speech was a resignation due to ill-health (May has Type 1 Diabetes).
As the Prime Minister starts treading the campaign trail, the UK Independence Party, including former leader Nigel Farage, say that Theresa May talks a good game but her actions are something else.
They point to her record on immigration, which increased from both inside and outside the EU. They do this because a) it’s true and b) it will make the ‘Brexiteers’ nervous.
I have to say, as someone who frequently shouted at the Andrew Marr programme when she was Home Secretary, the PM is very good at not answering questions.
There is also the added issue of appearing to have complete conviction about not wanting to have a general election, only to look equally committed to the idea that she now does. Will the British public think they are being played by a smooth politician?
I fully understand why the PM does not want to do the TV debates.
Firstly, it’s not her strength and secondly, for all the hours of preparation half the media will focus on what top she was wearing and the other half how well her opposition did. In short, why bother?
But, Mrs May will need to work on speaking beyond the script if she is to bring over personality and not run out of steam during a long campaign.
In case, with the speed of our politics you didn’t know let’s remind ourselves of the PM’s political career so far:
