The victorious Brexiters have left their mark, but Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage are unlikely to play any part in the UK's next big decision -- who should become the new British prime minister.
The
Conservative Party took a step closer to determining the leader Tuesday
when, in a first round of voting, the party eliminated former Defense
Secretary Liam Fox from the ballot, according to Graham Brady, chairman
of the 1922 Committee.
Fox, who
missed out on becoming leader of the Conservative Party in 2005, was
forced to resign from his defense secretary post in 2011 amid a lobbying
scandal involving a close friend, Adam Werrity. Fox had the backing of
eight members of Parliament and was never considered a threat to trouble
the frontrunners.
Fox said he was
disappointed he didn't progress further in the contest, but he thanked
his supporters and promised "a statement about my intentions in due
course."
"I
felt it was vital to stress the importance of national security in this
debate and the need for a clear path to our exit from the European
Union. I hope I have achieved both these objectives," he said.
Home
Secretary Theresa May won the first round of voting in the bid to
replace David Cameron, who announced he is stepping down following the
Brexit decision, in which voters cast ballots in favor of leaving the
European Union. Tuesday's votes were as follows:
• Theresa May -- 165
Andrea Leadsom -- 66
• Michael Gove -- 48
• Stephen Crabb -- 34
• Liam Fox --16
Whoever is elected to lead the party
will have to negotiate Britain's exit from the European Union and invoke
that much-talked-about clause -- Article 50 -- which governs an EU
departure.
It won't be Crabb. He withdrew his name from consideration later Tuesday and gave his support to May.
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