UK to have first female leader after Thatcher

Britain will have its first female prime minister since Margaret Thatcher after Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom made the shortlist on Thursday to be the leader who will guide the country out of the EU.

"Who'll be the new Maggie?" asked the front page of the Daily Mail newspaper after cabinet veteran May won 199 votes from the 329 ruling Conservative lawmakers who took part in the ballot for next party leader and prime minister.

Junior energy minister Leadsom, who was only elected to Parliament in 2010 and is a virtual unknown to the wider British public, got 84 votes.