theresa may

election stats:

• May succeeded Cameron on 13 July 2016 after his resignation post-Brexit referendum.

• Became party leader two days before becoming prime minister.

• Leadsom's withdrawal led to May's uncontested leadership.

• Conservatives won 330 seats with 36.9% of the vote.

• Increased vote share by 0.8 percentage points.

• Conservatives won 317 seats and 42.3% of the vote.

• Labour secured 262 seats with 40.0% of the vote.

• Resulted in a hung parliament with no majority.

main events of her tenure:

• Westminster Attack:

  • Six dead, including the attacker.

• London Bridge Attack:

  • Eight killed, 48 injured.

• Manchester Arena Bombing:

  • Caused a decline in conservative favor.

  • Party lost seats after the attacks, reversing the 'rally round the flag effect.'

• Salisbury Nerve Agent Attacks:

  • Highly praised response.

  • Considered one of the highest points of her premiership.

• Grenfell Tower Fire:

  • Heavily criticised for not meeting with the survivors.

• Brexit:

  • Triggered Article 50 in March 2017.

  • Failed snap election led to a hung parliament, reducing Con by 13 seats.

  • Passed the Great Repeal Act of 2018.

• Infected Blood Enquiry

• Assassination Attempt:

  • In 2017, Islamic State terrorist Naa'imur Zakariyah Rahman attempted to assassinate Theresa May at Downing Street.

relationship with her cabinet:

• Cabinet In-Fighting:

  • Mainly centered around Brexit.

  • Boris Johnson (Foreign Secretary) frequently involved in disputes.

• Contention with Cameron:

  • Tensions with David Cameron and his sympathizers due to her hard stance on Brexit conflicting with his softer approach.

• Votes of No Confidence:

  • Faced two votes of no confidence in Dec 2018 and Jan 2019.

  • 2018 as Con party leader, majority 83.

  • 2019 as Prime Minister, majority 17.

• Criticism on Trump's Executive Order:

  • Criticized by her party for not condemning Trump's executive order.

• Cabinet Reshuffle:

  • Her cabinet was formed after a significant reshuffle that removed many of Cameron's cabinet members, replacing them with more 'right-wing' MPs.

what led to her downfall?

• Brexit Negotiations:

  • Poor handling of Brexit negotiations contributed significantly to Theresa May's downfall.

  • Failed to produce a deal satisfying both UK Brexiteers (favoring 'hard Brexit') and the EU (favoring 'soft Brexit').

  • Led to two votes of no confidence.

• December 2018: Irish Backstop:

  • Proposed Irish backstop to prevent a visible border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit.

• January 2019: Vote of No Confidence:

  • Jeremy Corbyn laid a vote of no confidence after the government failed to secure parliamentary backing for a Brexit deal.

• Snap Election (June 2017):

  • Called a snap election to strengthen her hand in Brexit negotiations.

  • 'Dreadful campaign' played a massive role in her downfall.

  • Lack of media participation and a U-turn on social care fueled a disastrous legacy.

• Manifesto Controversies:

  • Denial of changes to the manifesto on social care.

  • Perception of a "dementia tax" and concerns about cuts to free school meals for poor children.

• Weak Media Presence:

  • Lacked a 'strong and stable' media presence.

  • Avoided TV debates and big rallies during her presidential-style campaign.

may’s legacy:

• Brexit Failure:

  • Resigned due to failure to achieve a Brexit deal.

  • Legacy defined by this inability.

• 'Muddled Thinking':

  • Switched stance from pro-Remain to 'Brexit means Brexit.'

  • Ruled out single market membership while proposing the role of the European Court of Justice, creating confusion.

• Uncharismatic Style:

  • Uncharismatic public speaking style.

  • Lack of communication on social care.

  • Nicknamed 'Maybot' for robotic repetition of 'strong and stable.'

was she in control? no

• Parliamentary Weakness:

  • Lacked control of her parliament.

  • Faced numerous votes of no confidence.

• Brexit Failure:

  • Failed to achieve a Brexit deal.

• Mixed Crisis Responses:

  • Praised for handling infected blood scandal and Salisbury poisonings.

  • Ridiculed for Grenfell tower fire response.

  • Accused of investigating infected blood scandal under legal pressure.

• Lack of Social Skills:

  • Difficulties connecting with people.

  • Linked to Grenfell failure.

• Appeasement Challenges:

  • Attempts at appeasing the party led to indecisiveness and poor perception.