Home Secretary, now set to be British PM: Nine things to know about Theresa May

In the ensuing saga of British politics after Brexit, PM David Cameron stepped down from his position on Monday. This led to Theresa May, the Home secretary to take charge. She was named the Leader of the Conservative Party ‘with immediate effect’ and will officially be taking over the office from David Cameron on Wednesday. As she becomes the first female Prime Minister after Margaret Thatcher who was PM of the UK from 1979 to 1990, here are a few quick facts you should know about May:

• Before becoming the PM, May has been the Home Secretary. She has been the longest-serving Home Secretary of modern times in England since her appointment in 2010.  May was herself the sixth holder of the seat in six years.

•  The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) is one of the legacies of May which she started in July, 2014. She is very sensitive towards child health and care which gave way to this inquiry to check how the country’s organisations handled their duty of protecting children from abuse.

• She might have taken charge of the PM position much earlier but since it is Britain, assuming power still requires going to the palace and meeting the Queen. But the Queen is out of town, hence the delay, according to New Yorker.

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• May, who is 59 years old, has been with her husband, a banker since they both were students at Oxford University. They have been married for 35 years and do not have any children.

• May started her career with working at the Bank of England from 1985 to 1997. In the meantime serving as a councillor for the London Borough of Merton's Durnsford Ward. She also vied to get elected in the House of Commons but never succeeded.

• Home Secretary James Chuter Ede was the last longest serving Home Secretary before May, 60 years before her term. Post that no one has managed to be in the Home Secretary's seat for as long as May.

• When she was appointed as the Home Secretary, she was also elected to be the Minister of Women and Equalities but she left the latter in 2012.

• She has been credited with bringing reforms in the police force, a stricter drug policy and introducing restrictions on immigration.

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• Before becoming the longest-standing Home Secretary of modern times, May also became the first female Chairman of the Conservative Party in July 2002.

Feature Image Credit: BBC