UPHEAVAL IN BRITAIN – AT 9:48 A.M. ET:  After the Brexit vote last week, it was widely assumed that former London Mayor Boris Johnson, a conservative, would become Britain's next prime minister.  But Johnson was betrayed by one of his closest allies, who decided that he should be prime minister.  The mess revolted many, and attention has now turned toward a new candidate, who has quickly become the favorite to succeed David Cameron at 10 Downing Street.  From Sky News: 

Theresa May has won the backing of a number of senior Tories in the race to be the next Prime Minister - as Michael Gove prepares to make his pitch for the job.

With supporters of the one-time frontrunner Boris Johnson up for grabs for the five contenders, the Home Secretary secured endorsements from cabinet colleagues Michael Fallon and Patrick McLoughlin.

Cabinet Office minister Matt Hancock - a close ally of Chancellor George Osborne - also came out for Mrs May on Thursday night.

Justice Secretary Michael Gove will make a speech later after his last-minute decision to enter the race stunned Westminster and forced his Vote Leave partner Mr Johnson to drop out.

Laying out his support for the Home Secretary, Mr Fallon said: "As Defence Secretary, I've worked closely with Theresa on security and she is the right person to steer Britain through the serious challenges we now face.

"Theresa is the best person to lead our exit from the EU so that we reduce immigration and regain sovereignty while protecting our hard won economic growth.

"She has the track record, the temperament and the commitment to unite both the party and the country behind a clear plan for our future."

Transport Secretary Mr McLoughlin, writing in The Sun, said Mrs May would be able to do the required deals in Brussels as the UK negotiated its exit from the European Union.

Suggesting Mrs May had "the 'it' factor", he said: "We know that the next prime minister needs to forge a deal from the EU as we shape our brighter future in the rest of the world. And her track record shows that when Theresa arrives in Brussels, Europe's bosses sit up and listen."

COMMENT:  From the perspective of the Anglo-American alliance, May is a solid choice.  She's somewhat Thatcherite in her determination to get the job done, and conservative enough in her views, although she favored staying in the EU in the recent referendum.  But when the vote was counted and favored leaving, she insisted that the people's will be carried out.

July 1,  2016