Britain will have a woman as prime minister in September after Conservative MPs today selected Home Secretary Theresa May and Junior Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom to face off in an election for the leadership of the Conservative Party.

The MPs, in their second round of voting in the party leadership contest, eliminated Justice Secretary and former Leave campaigner Michael Gove when they voted today. Under Conservative Party rules, the two remaining candidates will now face a vote by the party membership.

May won the support of 199 of her colleagues, while Leadsom came second on 84. Gove won 46 votes.

Whoever wins the run-off will succeed Prime Minister David Cameron, who announced he would step down in September in the wake of the Brexit referendum.

Although Theresa May won the majority of votes by Conservative MPs, Andrea Leadsom is gaining in popularity among the party rank and file.

May backed the Remain camp in the referendum while Leadsom campaigned strongly for Leave and has the backing of former Leave leader Boris Johnson. 

Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom.Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom.

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