- .Theresa May is set to be made PM within days after Leadsom quit the race
- .Leadsom revealed she felt she did not have enough support to continue
- .Called for a rapid conclusion to the contest to end business uncertainty
- .Tory Party board will meet today to formally confirm May as party leader
- .Leadsom had been under fire for appearing to suggest being a mum gave her an advantage as PM. She apologised to May today
- .Labour and the Liberal Democrats both call for a snap General Election
- .See more of the latest news and updates on the Tory leadership race
Andrea Leadsom today sensationally quit the race to be Tory leader and handed Downing Street to Theresa May.
The Home Secretary could be summoned to Buckingham Palace within hours to be appointed as Prime Minister. Mrs May is expected to enter No 10 within days even if she does not see the Queen today.
Mrs Leadsom's withdrawal from the race comes days after she triggered a massive row over whether being a mother gave her an advantage as a possible PM.
Graham Brady, the Tory MP who is in charge of the contest, said 'Theresa May is the only remaining candidate' and said the Tory Party Board would meet this afternoon to lay down a timetable.
Amid extraordinary scenes in the heart of Westminster and surrounded by allies, Mrs Leadsom said: 'A nine week leadership campaign at such a critical moment for our country is highly undesirable.
'We need a new Prime Minister in place as soon as possible. Theresa May carried over 60 per cent support in the parliamentary party. She is ideally placed to implement Brexit on the best possible terms.'
Mrs Leadsom said it was clear she did not have enough support among Tory MPs and added: 'I wish Theresa May the very greatest success.'
Andrea Leadsom, pictured today withdrawing from the contest, said Britain needed a new Prime Minister as soon as possible and endorsed Theresa May
Mrs Leadsom made her announcement surrounded by allies, including Tim Loughton, right, and former party leader Iain Duncan Smith
Speaking outside the Palace of Westminster, Mr Brady said Mrs May would still need to be 'formally confirmed' as the winner and indicated at an impromptu press conference this would be done later today.
Downing Street sources told MailOnline Mrs May could be installed as the new prime minister 'in the next couple of days' if the Conservative Party decides she is now the only candidate.
Mrs May, who today made a speech in Birmingham to set out her plans, was this afternoon rushing back to London to respond to developments.
Chris Grayling, Mrs May's campaign manager, today paid tribute to Mrs Leadsom for being 'willing to put the leadership of the country' ahead of her own ambitions, describing her as a ' a true public servant'.
Speaking outside the Palace of Westminster, he said: 'On her behalf she is enormously honoured to be entrusted with this task by so many of her parliamentary colleagues.
'Now is the time for us to unite as a party and to get on with the job of doing everything we can to secure a strong and prosperous and successful future for our country.'
In her speech today, Mrs Leadsom urged a quick resolution to the contest in her absence.
She said: 'Business needs certainty. A strong and unified government must move quickly to set out what an independent United Kingdom's framework for business looks like.
'It is also essential that current EU workers in the UK and businesses that employ them know where they stand.
'The Conservative party was elected only last year with a strong manifesto. We now need a new prime minister in place as soon as possible, committed to fulfilling that manifesto as well as implementing the full instructions from the referendum.'
Mrs Leadsom sparked outrage when she told Saturday's The Times she had a bigger stake in the future of Britain because she was worried about her children's future.
Last night she said she had apologised to Mrs May, who has not had children, via text message.
Just a week ago, Mrs Leadsom insisted she was in the contest for the long haul, despite fears over the impact on her family.
Boris Johnson, forced out of the race by the decision of Mrs Leadsom and Michael Gove to run against him, today endorsed Mrs May.
He said: Theresa May will provide the authority and the leadership necessary to unite the Conservative Party and take the country forward in the coming weeks and months.
'Andrea's decision, which is both brave and principled, allows that process to begin immediately. I have no doubt Theresa will make an excellent party leader and Prime Minister and I'm encouraged that she's made it clear that Brexit means Brexit - that we will leave the EU.
'It is vital that we respect the will of the people and get on with exploiting new opportunities for this country.'
Mrs Leadsom today emerged from a home in Westminster to announce she was quitting the race to be Tory leader, leaving the path clear for Mrs May
Owen Paterson today said Mrs Leadsom had been under 'assault' since winning her place in the second round of the contest last week.
And Mr Gove, who finished a distant third among MPs, said: 'Andrea Leadsom spoke with great dignity and courage today. I wish her every success in the future.
'We should now move as quickly as possible to ensure Theresa May can take over as leader. She has my full support as our next Prime Minister.'
In an angry statement Tim Loughton, who led a bizarre march on Parliament last week in support of Mrs Leadsom said: 'Throughout our short campaign we have made it clear that we should be relentlessly focussed on the positive case for electing Andrea as Leader without the need to undermine the qualities of her opponents.
'Despite an onslaught of often very personal attacks from colleagues and journalists we have never deviated from that goal.
'Colleagues who have chosen to further their own ends by putting smear above respect will no doubt account for their motivations but it is genuinely puzzling to understand who they think they are helping. It is certainly not our Party or our constituents.
'It is absolutely not the job of media commentators to 'big up' politicians whether in this leadership contest or elsewhere in politics.
'But neither should it be their compulsion constantly to try to trip them up. Using spin and underhand tactics against decent people whose prime motivation is to serve has for too long undermined the confidence of the public in our politics.'
Labour's shadow minister without portfolio Jon Ashworth today congratulated Mrs May on her success.
But he added: 'Ultimately the issue is not whether she can deliver for the Conservative Party but what her offer is as Prime Minister and whether it delivers for ordinary working people.
'People want a Government that puts them first and a leader who can deliver for them. That will be difficult for Theresa May given her record of failure and the wrong choices: cuts to police funding, the loss of 18,000 police officers and overseeing chaos in the Passport Office.
'Theresa May has today set out a detailed critique of the failures of the Tory Government, but there was absolutely no recognition of the fact she has been at the heart of this failing government for the last six years.'
Jon Trickett added: 'It is crucial, given the instability caused by the Brexit vote, that the country has a democratically elected Prime Minister.
'I am now putting the whole of the party on a General Election footing. It is time for the Labour Party to unite and ensure the millions of people in the country left behind by the Tories' failed economic policies, have the opportunity to elect a Labour government.'
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron blasted Mrs May as 'divisive, illiberal and calculating'.
He said: 'Just 13 months after the last election the Conservatives have plunged the UK into chaos. It is simply inconceivable that Theresa May should be crowned Prime Minister without even having won an election in her own party, let alone the country.
'There must be an election. The Conservatives must not be allowed to ignore the electorate, their mandate is shattered and lies in ruins.
'Britain deserves better than this Tory stitch up.
'May has not set out an agenda, and has no right to govern. She has not won an election and the public must have their say.'
Home Secretary Theresa May, pictured making a major speech this morning, set out her stall to run a government in the centre ground with an agenda of 'serious social reform' in a major break from David Cameron's premiership
Mrs May made her speech just an hour Mrs Leadsom sensationally quit the race and will now be preparing to take hold of the reins of power within days
Responding to the row over her comments, Mrs Leadsom told today's Daily Telegraph: 'I've said to Theresa how very sorry I am for the hurt I have caused and how the article said completely the opposite of what I said and believe.'
The Times today revealed the apology was sent in a text message and revealed Mrs May was 'grateful' for the note.
Mrs Leadsom had insisted that she did not want motherhood to play a part in the campaign and that she 'deeply regrets that anyone has got the impression that I think otherwise'.
It came as senior Tories called for Mrs Leadsom to quit the leadership race over the motherhood comments, and questioned the suitability of the 'inexperienced' junior energy minister to be prime minister.
Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee who is running the contest, today said Mrs May was the only candidate left ahead of a meeting of the party board today
Addressing the media outside the Palace of Westminster today, Mr Brady stopped short of confirming Mrs May would be installed as Prime Minister later today
Mrs Leadsom said she had felt 'under attack' since the row over her comments.
She claims she was pressed to say how her children had formed her views and she didn't want it to be used as an issue.
Her allies said the furore over the motherhood remarks was part of 'black ops' being run by the 'Establishment' to 'denigrate her reputation' and derail her bid for No 10.
But David Davis, a prominent backer of Mrs May, said Mrs Leadsom's comments had betrayed her lack of experience.
In a withering put-down, the former Tory leadership contender said: 'At the moment she's too inexperienced for a really important job at the most important time in our history.'
Chris Grayling, Theresa May's campaign manager, spoke outside the House of Commons today to say Mrs May was honoured to be entrusted with the responsibility of No 10
The row follows an explosive interview Mrs Leadsom gave to Saturday's Times newspaper, headlined 'Being a mother gives me the edge on May'. The newspaper quoted Mrs Leadsom saying that Mrs May 'possibly has nieces, nephews, lots of people'. She added: 'But I have children who are going to have children who will directly be part of what happens next'.
The Home Secretary has previously spoken about how she and husband Philip were affected by being unable to have children.
Mrs Leadsom's remarks triggered a blizzard of ferocious criticism, led by some of the Tory Party's most senior women.
Business minister Anna Soubry urged Mrs Leadsom to 'do us all a favour including herself' and quit the leadership contest because she was clearly not 'PM material'.
Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson said: 'I am childless. I have nieces and nephews. I believe I – like everybody else – have a very real stake in our country.'
Senior backbencher Sir Alan Duncan tweeted: 'I'm gay and in a civil partnership. No children, but ten nieces and nephews. Do I not have a stake in the future of the country. Vile.'
In an attempt to head off the row over her comments on Saturday, Mrs Leadsom made a statement outisde her home to insist that she did not want motherhood to play a part in the campaign and 'deeply regret that anyone has got the impression that I think otherwise'
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