After three long years, she’s finally gone. The Prime Minister decided to face the music on the steps of Downing Street yesterday, her voice audibly cracking with emotion as she announced the date of her resignation on 7 June, while her husband Philip May and her Downing Street staff watched sadly on.
May’s departure should be no surprise to readers of The Spectator, however. Since she became Prime Minister in 2016, 28 of our covers have featured Theresa May. Below are a selection, charting the highs and (many) lows of her time in office:
July 2016

May is the last person standing in a shorter-than-expected leadership race
October 2016

The new PM looks all powerful after becoming leader
November 2016

May is riding high, and is in a strong position heading into the Brexit talks
March 2017

The pressure builds on the PM
April 2017

May calls a general election to boost her majority in 2017
May 2017

The Spectator suggests May’s manifesto may have some problems
June 2017

Things don’t go well during the 2017 general election
June 2017

The Maybot malfunctions when the Tories fail to achieve a majority
February 2018

May’s failings become clear
April 2018

May shuts the door on the world, and abandons ‘global Britain’
May 2018

May is pinned, by her friends and enemies
July 2018

Boris Johnson and David Davis resign, sparking a rebellion against her
September 2018

The Tory battles begin
September 2018

The Spectator notes May’s growing isolation
November 2018

May serves up her Withdrawal Agreement – an unappetising Brexit concoction
November 2018

Her deal is defeated by a historic margin, threatening to split the Conservatives forever
December 2018

May hangs on ahead of the first Meaningful Vote
January 2019

Power is wrested away from her by backbench MPs
February 2019

May is fired back across the Channel to find ‘alternative arrangements’ to the backstop
March 2019

She is reduced to begging for concessions from EU leaders
March 2019

The country looks for leadership

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