Following Theresa May’s failure to come up with an agreement to lead Britain out of the European Union, she announced she will stand down as Tory leader and hand over the keys to 10 Downing Street, in a tearful resignation speech delivered on May 24.

In this speech, she described being prime minister as  “the honour of my life” and admitted it is and will always remain a matter of “deep regret” to her that she has not been able to deliver Brexit. “Because the referendum was not just a call to leave the E.U. but for profound change in our country.” One of the main reasons for May’s failure remains her insistence on a No Deal Brexit.

According to CNN, out of the 67 million people in the country, only a ‘self-selecting’ 0.2% of the electorates will choose who the next Tory leader will be– the 160,000 members of the Conservative Party. “That’s because in the UK when a prime minister quits — as Theresa May did over Brexit — there isn’t necessarily a general election. In the country’s parliamentary system, the PM is typically the head of the largest party in parliament. If there’s a personnel change at the top of the ruling party, the new party leader pretty much automatically gets the keys to 10 Downing Street,” reports CNN.

The 160,000 Conservative party members have started receiving ballot papers to begin voting for Theresa May’s successor.

Hunt Vs Johnson

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Back Bencher Boris Johnson have since declared their candidature and continue to pitch their manifesto. While remaining on opposing sides of the Brexit referendum, both candidates have pledged to protect the union. Boris maintains that the “next occupant” of 10 Downing Street should be “minister for the union” as well as prime minister. While Jeremy Hunt confirmed he would be willing to leave the EU without a deal. “ I will do it in a way that protects the union because it’s absolutely vital that we do.”

Policy pitches of the candidates as highlighted by the BBC are as follows.

Hunt

• Leave with a deal, but would back a no-deal Brexit with “a heavy heart” if necessary.
• Create a new negotiating team to produce an “alternative exit deal” to Theresa May’s plan.
• Present a provisional no-deal Brexit budget in early September
• If no realistic chance, will abandon talks and focus on no deal preparations.
• Cover the cost of tariffs imposed on the exports of the farming and fishing industries in the case of a no-deal Brexit.

Johnson

• Leave the EU by the 31 October deadline “come what may”, but claims the chance of a no-deal Brexit is a “million to one.”
• Negotiate a new deal, which will include replacing the Irish backstop with alternative arrangements.
• Will not hand over the £39bn divorce settlement with the EU until the UK gets a new deal.
• Will ask the EU for a “standstill period” to negotiate a free trade deal if a new deal is not agreed.
• Support the rural community in a no-deal Brexit scenario with “price support” and “efficiency payments.”

Based on runoff ballots, it appears Johnson will likely be the UK’s new leader.  The new leader will be announced on 23 July.