Yahoo News Who is Theresa May? A profile of Britain's Prime Minister
Who is Theresa May?
Theresa Mary May is the Member of Parliament for Maidenhead and Britain's Prime Minister since July 2016.
She entered Parliament in 1997 and under Prime Minister David Cameron was the longest-serving Home Secretary in 50 years.
Political experience
Councillor, London Borough of Merton 1986-94
1992 parliamentary candidate NW Durham
1994 parliamentary candidate in the Barking by-election
MP for Maidenhead 1997 to present
Shadow education secretary 1999-2001
Shadow transport 2001-2003, Conservative Party Chairman 2002-3
Shadow transport 2003-4
Shadow culture media & sport 2004-5
Shadow leader of the House of Commons 2005-9
Shadow work & pensions 2009-10
Home Secretary 2010-present
Key political moments
1999 - 2010: Holds a variety of shadow cabinet posts
2002: Becomes the first female chairman of the Conservatives and says it is seen as the “nasty party” - while wearing a pair of now-famous leopard print kitten heels
2010 - 2012: Minister for Women & Equalities 2010: Appointed Home Secretary, and makes it her mission to reform the police service and control immigration
2012: Blocks British computer hacker Gary McKinnon’s extradition to the US saying it would contravene his human rights
2014: Becomes the longest-serving Home Secretary for 50 years
2016: Replace David Cameron as leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister
Other experience
Bank of England 1977-83
Association for Clearing Payment Services 1985-95
Life outside of politics
Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Abba's Dancing Queen and Walk Like A Man, from the musical Jersey Boys, were among her picks.
The fashion-conscious politician, known for her love of kitten heel shoes and designer outfits, chose a lifetime's subscription to Vogue as her luxury item to take to the island.
She also enjoys occasional mountain walks and culinary experimentation - she owns more than 100 cookbooks.
Mrs May is a practising member of the Anglican church, but said it was "right that we don't flaunt these things here in British politics".
Mrs May has Type 1 diabetes which means she must inject herself with insulin at least twice a day for the rest of her life.
Her early years
Vicar's daughter Mrs May was born on October 1, 1956, in Eastbourne, Sussex.
She grew up in Oxfordshire to parents Reverend Hubert Brasier and his wife, Zaidee. Her father died in a car accident in 1981 and she lost her mother months later.
Mrs May was educated at Wheatley Park Comprehensive School near Oxford, before gaining a place at St Hugh's College, Oxford where she read geography.
She started her career at the Bank of England where she stayed for six years, before moving to the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS).
She began her political career stuffing envelopes at her local Conservative Association before becoming a councillor in the London Borough of Merton from 1986 to 1994.
She later headed to Westminster as MP for Maidenhead in 1997.
Who is she married too?
She is married to banker Philip May and has no children. The couple, who have a shared love of cricket, met at a Conservative Association dance party and have been married for 36 years. They live in Sonning, Berkshire.
Mrs May is truly the quiet woman of British politics. The Home Secretary played a clever hand during the EU referendum by staying out of the fray and letting events play out around her.
In an interview with the BBC she gave a taste of which direction the Party could go under her leadership when she made a clear call for "further reform" to EU free movement rules.
