History of the Conservative Party (UK) Foreign affairs select committee described the lack of planning as "gross negligence" which made his successor's task much more difficult. In July 2016 Theresa May succeeded David Cameron as Tory Leader and Prime Minister following Andrea Leadsom's withdrawal from the leadership contest. She is the second woman to lead the party and subsequently the second female Prime Minister, following Margaret Thatcher. With the support of 199/320 Conservative MPs, May was seen as the most experienced figure who could unite the party after a bitter campaign in which Michael Gove, a supporter and running mate of Boris Johnson, publicly declared Johnson
2015 Labour Party (UK) leadership election Corbyn on winning the leadership contest but claimed that Labour's failure to defeat the Conservatives at the next general election would further the cause for Scottish independence and leave the SNP as the only real opposition. Leanne Wood, leader of Plaid Cymru congratulated Corbyn and urged the Labour Party to join with her party's MPs in opposing "Tory policies that are causing great harm to people in Wales and beyond". Alasdair McDonnell, leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party commended Corbyn on an "incredible election campaign" and urged him to work towards returning Labour to an electable position, as