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Environment Secretary Gove also in Britain's PM race

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ANI Europe

British Environment Secretary Micheal Gove on Sunday pitched himself to succeed Theresa May as the Prime Minister of Britain.

"I can confirm that I will be putting my name forward to be prime minister of this country," local media quoted Gave, as saying.

So far, eight contenders have said that they will run for the post whose central task would be to find a way to complete the process of pending Brexit.

Gave has joined British Health Minister Matt Hancock, Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, International Minister Jeremy Hunt, and Development Secretary Rory Stewart and former Work and Pension Minister Esther McVey, to replace May.

 

UK Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation on the morning of May 24. She will remain head of the UK government till her successor is not chosen.

For long, May had been making efforts to push her beleaguered agreement or an alternative withdrawal deal through the British Parliament in a bid to prevent the UK from participating in the European Parliament elections.

Her thrice-rejected deal forced the 62-year-old leader to request an extension to delay the withdrawal process. The Brexit date was hence changed from March 29 to April 12.

Last month, the EU leaders agreed to delay the Brexit process to another six months, with October 31 as the new date for the UK's withdrawal from the European bloc.

May took office as UK's Prime Minister in July 2016 after her predecessor and party colleague David Cameron stepped down from the post, following the Brexit referendum, which saw 52 per cent of the electorate voting in favour of the country leaving the EU.

In a last-ditch attempt, May on Tuesday gave a chance to those in the UK Parliament asking for a second referendum on Brexit to have their way by introducing a new Brexitdeal, even as she maintained her stand against the move.

"I've tried everything possible to find a way through. Today I am making a serious offer to MPs across Parliament -- a new Brexit deal," she had said.

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First Published: May 26 2019 | 7:39 PM IST

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