David Cameron to Chair Final Cabinet as UK Prime Minister

Local Editor

David Cameron will chair his final cabinet meeting as prime minister later as Theresa May prepares to take over.

May had been expecting a nine-week Conservative leadership race, but rival Andrea Leadsom withdrew on Monday.

Cameron will tender his resignation to the Queen on Wednesday, leaving May, home secretary since 2010, to appoint her own ministerial team.

May said she was "honored and humbled" to be taking over and pledged to make a success of the UK's EU exit.

Leadsom's surprise announcement left May, who had been the front runner, as the only remaining candidate to take over the leadership of the Conservative Party and, therefore, also become prime minister.

Flanked by dozens of Conservative MPs, May praised Cameron for his stewardship of the party and the country and paid tribute to Leadsom for her "dignity" in withdrawing her leadership bid.

But senior Labour MP Jon Trickett has joined the Lib Dems and Green Party in calling for a snap general election.

Trickett, Labour's general election coordinator and an ally of leader Jeremy Corbyn, said it was "crucial" to have a "democratically elected prime minister" and he was putting the party on "general election footing".

May has rejected such demands.

BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said EU negotiation, controlling immigration and managing the economy were "huge issues" that would challenge May's desire for a "steady as she goes" approach.

Source: BBC, Edited by website team