We Need a Prime Minister Ready From Day One, So I’m (Reluctantly) Endorsing May

By: Finlay Gordon-McCusker, Student Voices writer

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ITV

The Conservative Membership have a huge challenge, not only must they elect their own leader, but they’re going to select our next Prime Minister. Whoever they choose will have to be ready to enter Downing Street and tackle the monumental problems our country faces. Not just the matter of leaving the European Union and negotiating the terms of our exit, but issues like controlling welfare, tackling child poverty and bridging the rift our country faces.

They will take over a delicate country, we need somebody who will be prepared from day one. We live in a precarious world, and whether the threats come from an increasingly hostile Russia, or from terrorist groups, the new Prime Minister will have to deal with them. For me, the person to take these threats and overcome them has to be Theresa May. As Home Secretary, she has demonstrated herself to be proficient in championing Britain in the world, and we need a Prime Minister who will do that.

I never imagined a state of affairs in which I would find myself endorsing Theresa May to be our Prime Minister, but these are the circumstances we find ourselves in. Although I wish that we encountered a different choice, one where we had a real progressive option available, we won’t see that for another four years if the candidates get their way. I had to consider this in two ways: First of all, who is best for the country, and who is easiest to defeat? Without a doubt, Theresa May is best for our country, but will be the hardest to defeat - especially if my Party is still refusing to elect a leader who the country sees as Prime Minister.

I have heard talk of us requiring a Prime Minister who campaigned to leave, I don’t agree. A Pro-Brexit Prime Minister will be someone who stood on a platform promising an extra £350m per week, a promise that was left behind less than 12 hours after the country voted for it. However, I believe we must now all be Pro-Brexit. The people of this country voted to leave the European Union, we need to now acknowledge that and negotiate a deal that is favourable for us. My own belief is that if we cannot get a deal that is good for our country, and the national mood is that we should actually remain in the European Union once we have seen the details, then we should have a second referendum.

When I look at the other candidates, I see no outstanding qualities in them. Stephen Crabb seems like an inexperienced anti equal marriage option, Leadsom looks like the tax-avoiding UKIP preference, Fox just seems totally wrong for the job, and in Gove, I see the man who stabbed his political ally in the back for power. None of these prospects seem hugely attractive to me.

As a result of this, I reluctantly endorse Theresa May for Conservative Party leader, and for Prime Minister. Her record in office is not the best to say the least. I have many policy disagreements with her, but in the grand scheme of things, she is the best choice for our country.