A former Prime Minister has announced the end of a 27-year tenure as an MP, although insists she believes the Tories can win the next election. She joins a growing list of 60 Tories calling time on contesting their seats.
Former Prime Minister, Theresa May, has officially announced that she will step down from her role as Maidenhead MP after initially gaining the position 27 years ago. May admitted that her decision to step down was “difficult” but expressed her confidence in her belief that the Conservatives would win the next general election.
A recent Ipsos poll revealed that the Tories sit a staggering 27 percentage points behind Labour in voter confidence, revealing the largest gap since 1978.
May Believes in Tory Victory
May revealed that her commitment in the next election still belongs to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, expressing belief that the Tories would win. “I remain committed to supporting Rishi Sunak and the government and believe that the Conservatives can win the election,” May asserted.
In the Ipsos poll, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s dissatisfaction rating was through the roof, as over 80% of those surveyed displayed a lack of confidence.
Commitment to Maidenhead
In a statement to the Maidenhead Advertiser, May expressed gratitude for the “honour” of serving her constituency for nearly three decades, a stunning achievement no matter your political view. May’s departure adds to a growing trend, with over 60 Tory MPs opting not to contest seats in the next election, marking the highest total since 1997 when May originally was elected.
May was the successor of former Prime Minister and current Foreign Secretary Sir David Cameron in 2016, where she held the position for three years. Due to complications with Brexit, a vote of confidence took place and, despite keeping her position, eventually resigned in 2019.
Since stepping down as Prime Minister in 2019, May revealed that she “enjoyed” being more of a “backbencher” and working on projects that she cared about.
Time Off From Important Projects
Despite working on projects closer to her heart, such as the introduction of the “Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking,” May insisted they took up a lot of her time. Despite calling time on her reign in Maidenhead, May vowed to fight for a Conservative victory in the next election for the constituency.
“As I pass the baton on I will be working with my successor to secure a Conservative victory in Maidenhead,” May said, issuing one final promise that would carry on her legacy through the next general election.
In the last general election, May had a significant majority in Maidenhead, winning the vote by 18,000 in the area that is hugely dominated by consistent, Conservative voters.
May could have probably held on to her position if she carried on in this year’s general election, despite many Conservative areas succumbing to Labour victories in recent by-elections.
The “New Iron Lady”
At the time of her entry into the role of Prime Minister, following on from being Lord Cameron’s Home Secretary, May was dubbed the “New Iron Lady” in reference to Margaret Thatcher.
Ultimately, it was Brexit that led to her not completing a full four-year tenure, after her multiple proposals for a Brexit deal were rejected by the House of Commons three times.
Her successor, former Prime Minister and former Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, entered with a positive outlook and a simple slogan that promised he would “Get Brexit Done.”
Tories Time Could Be Up
Now, 14 years after the Tories were elected into power, it’s looking like a landslide defeat is on the cards after the public voiced their opinion on the Party’s handling of Brexit, COVID and the economy which recently slipped into a recession.
May’s departure, although she expressed belief that the Tories would win the election, could be seen as a sign that the 67-year-old isn’t as confident as she makes out.
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