Post-Brexit, Cameron hails ‘partner’ India

In his official statement on the “Outcome of the EU Referendum” in the House of Commons, Cameron laid out the future course to be undertaken under a new Prime Minister after the UK voted to leave the European Union (EU) last week. 

“The nature of the relationship we secure with the EU will be determined by the next government but I think everyone is agreed that we all want the strongest possible economic link with our European neighbours as well as with our close friends in North America, the Commonwealth and important partners like India and China,” Cameron, 49, said to cheers from MPs. 

“Britain is leaving the EU but we must not turn our backs on Europe or the rest of the world,” he said. Cameron said he will go to Brussels for a summit tomorrow with EU leaders but will not invoke article 50 immediately. He had announced his resignation in his first speech following the results of last week’s referendum on Friday.

The Conservative party has since confirmed that a leadership contest will open later this week, with a new leader in place latest by early September. In contrast to his emotional resignation speech at the Downing Street doorstep, the outgoing premier adopted a light-hearted tone throughout today’s Parliament speech, starting with a jibe at Opposition Labour’s leader Jeremy Corbyn’s ongoing crisis of having to replace the rapidly resigning members of his shadow cabinet. 

Meanwhile, British Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Tuesday that he was seriously considering entering the race to succeed David Cameron as prime minister. Hunt, who backed the campaign to stay in the European Union, said he was weighing up whether to put his name forward before nominations for the next Conservative party leader close on Thursday.

“I am seriously considering it,” he said “What I want to do is to make the argument as to the kind of Britain that we need to be outside the EU. This is a big, big change and if we get it right we can succeed.”