UK Conservatives Contest Looming As Britain Still Has to Figure Out Brexit

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - The United Kingdom's exit from the European Union remains in the fog of uncertainty, but there is now Prime Minister Theresa May's potential departure to consider as well.

In a bid to win support for her withdrawal agreement, May pledged earlier this week to step down if the deal got through the parliament.

Expectations and Reality Of 29 March

The United Kingdom was expected to leave the European Union at 23:00 GMT on 29 March. Instead, by that time on Friday, the United Kingdom can at best expect to know which of the two EU-granted extensions it will now use.

The European Council offered the United Kingdom an extension until 22 May if the UK Parliament passes the withdrawal agreement by 29 March or by 12 April if it does not. The House of Commons will vote on the withdrawal agreement later on Friday, after having rejected it twice.

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The vote will concern only the withdrawal deal, and not the political declaration on the future EU-UK relationship, although previously they were put to vote as a package. In this way, the government can circumvent Speaker John Bercow's ban on introducing the same motion to vote more than once without substantial changes. The European Council's 22 May extension hinges on the withdrawal agreement, while political declaration is not mentioned.

The vote will show if May's intention to step down can put her deal through the parliament, but this could also mean a new direction for the second stage of Brexit talks.

How Conservative Leadership Contest Works

Selecting a new leader may take some time, according to Steven Woolfe, an independent member of the European Parliament from the United Kingdom.

"Either there is only one candidate to replace Theresa May, and the members of parliament and party leaders agree to select one and one only, or when there is an internal election by the party members. They need to go to the membership. Ballot papers have to be printed with the names of the candidates and the process would take weeks at best", Woolfe told Sputnik.

To choose May's successor, Conservative lawmakers will first select two candidates. The whole party will then vote on the two candidatures.

Who Comes After May

Potential replacements include Boris Johnson, a skilled and charismatic politician, a former foreign secretary who stepped down in protest against the government's policy on the Brexit deal. According to a recent poll by Ipsos MORI, 32 percent of Conservative supporters believe that Boris Johnson has the potential to be a good prime minister. However, within the party, Johnson is a divisive personality, capable of eliciting strong support and equally strong rejection.

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The same Ipsos MORI poll showed current Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt tied with Johnson at 32 percent. He has fewer Conservative supporters against him than Johnson, but a larger share of the surveyed said they did not know if Hunt would make a good prime minister. A former businessman who is fluent in Japanese, he has earned a reputation as a leader who does not fear challenges, since he spent six years as health minister at the helm of the public health service, mired in deep financial crisis.

Another contender is a former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, who left the Cabinet in November over the disagreement with the government on the departure from the European Union. Raab could bet on no-deal scenario supporters in the political fight for leadership.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove tried his luck after 2016 referendum at the contest ultimately won by Theresa May. Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Home Secretary Sajid David could also toss their hats in the ring.

However, the deal has to be passed first, and this is not an easy task for an agreement that has already been rejected twice.

The views and opinions expressed by the speaker do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.