I was outside St Stephen’s entrance with fellow Conservative MPs when Theresa May, with her husband, Philip, came out to huge applause to make her speech as PM elect. For the first time in a while, after weeks of uncertainty and high tension, there was a real sense of unity and determination that we have a big job to do and we must all get on with it - together.
I supported Theresa May as soon as David Cameron announced he was going to stand aside and make way for a new Prime Minister to lead the negotiations. Theresa May is one of the most experienced MPs in Parliament, having been Home Secretary, one of the most challenging jobs in the land, for 6 years. She is tough, hardworking and has a proven track record and she has my full support.
As Mrs May said again on the steps of Parliament ’Brexit means Brexit and we will make a success of it’. At last we have the certainty of a new Prime Minister and government, which will be good for the country, good for business and good for us all.
I am in no doubt that Mrs May will choose her team wisely. She can draw from the Leave camp and the Remain camp, from experienced old hands to rising stars because all of us recognise that we need to knuckle down and make it work.
Even with this exciting new era ahead of us, we must not forget the outstanding achievements of David Cameron and his team since May 2010. He and the Chancellor have steered the UK through extraordinary difficult economic times so that we now enjoy the unmistakeable signs of economic prosperity. Our economy is growing faster than nearly every other developed country, with millions more people back in work, the deficit halved, wages higher, progress in schools and lower levels of crime.
It’s a sound basis for the new Prime Minister and her team but there is much work to be done. I am confident though that we can achieve it and together we will build a better Britain.