LONDON—Nominations were opening Wednesday to replace Prime Minister David Cameron as leader of the Conservative Party, with the victor getting the challenge—or the poisoned chalice—of negotiating Britain’s exit from the European Union.
Cameron announced his resignation after British voters decided last week, against his advice, that the U.K. should leave the 28-nation bloc.
The first contender to make it official was Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb, who said he was running because “I don’t see anybody who provides a compelling answer” to the question of how to heal a deeply divided nation.
The 43-year-old Crabb, raised by a single mother in public housing, said he would offer “resilience, optimism, humility, strength.” Although he backed the “remain” side in the referendum, he promised to deliver a “negotiated exit” from the EU.
Crabb is running with Business Secretary Sajid Javid—who would serve as his finance minister—on what has been dubbed a blue-collar ticket. Both men come from working-class backgrounds, in contrast to upper-crust front-runner Boris Johnson, the former mayor of London, and the current prime minister, Cameron.
