Editing Conservative Party (UK) (section)

====2016–2019: Theresa May====
{{Main article|Premiership of Theresa May}}
[[File:Theresa May (2016) 02.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|[[Theresa May]]]]
On 11 July 2016, [[Theresa May]] became the leader of the Conservative Party.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36763208 |title=Theresa May set to be UK PM after Andrea Leadsom quits |publisher=BBC News |date=11 July 2016 |access-date=30 July 2023 |archive-date=11 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160711120043/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36763208 |url-status=live }}</ref> May promised social reform and a more centrist political outlook for the Conservative Party and its government.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/11/theresa-may-tory-leadership-pitch-andrea-leadsom|title=May promises social reform in centrist leadership pitch|first=Rowena|last=Mason|date=11 July 2016|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=11 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201180303/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/11/theresa-may-tory-leadership-pitch-andrea-leadsom|archive-date=1 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> May's early cabinet appointments were interpreted as an effort to reunite the party in the wake of the UK's [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|vote to leave the European Union]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/13/theresa-may-becomes-britains-prime-minister|title=Theresa May appeals to centre ground but cabinet tilts to the right|first=Heather|last=Stewart|date=13 July 2016|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=11 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160713235732/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/13/theresa-may-becomes-britains-prime-minister|archive-date=13 July 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

She began the process of [[Brexit|withdrawing the UK from the European Union]] in March 2017.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-may-idUKKBN1701H4 |title=May says has triggered Article 50 to begin Brexit process |publisher=Reuters |date=29 March 2017 |access-date=30 July 2023 |archive-date=30 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730161556/https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-may-idUKKBN1701H4 |url-status=live }}</ref> In April 2017, the Cabinet agreed to hold a [[2017 United Kingdom general election|general election]] on 8 June.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39630009 |title=Theresa May's general election statement in full |publisher=BBC News |date=18 April 2017 |access-date=30 July 2023 |archive-date=19 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419014523/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39630009 |url-status=live }}</ref> In a shock result, the election resulted in a [[hung parliament]], with the Conservative Party needing a [[Conservative–DUP agreement|confidence and supply]] arrangement with the [[Democratic Unionist Party|DUP]] to support a minority government.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/election-2017-polls-latest-yougov-hung-parliament-prediction-why-conservatives-labour-win-seats-majority-a7764401.html |title=Election 2017 polls latest: YouGov explains shock hung parliament prediction |author=Jon Sharman |work=The Independent |date=31 May 2017 |access-date=30 July 2023 |archive-date=30 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730161556/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/election-2017-polls-latest-yougov-hung-parliament-prediction-why-conservatives-labour-win-seats-majority-a7764401.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-40245514 |title=Theresa May and the DUP deal: What you need to know |author=Alex Hunt |publisher=BBC News |date=26 June 2017 |access-date=30 July 2023 |archive-date=23 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123150803/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-40245514 |url-status=live }}</ref>

May's Premiership was dominated by Brexit as she carried out negotiations with the European Union, adhering to the [[Chequers Plan]], which resulted in her draft [[Brexit withdrawal agreement]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45543609 |title=Brexit: Theresa May says it's Chequers or no deal |publisher=BBC News |date=17 September 2018 |access-date=30 July 2023 |archive-date=30 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730161559/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45543609 |url-status=live }}</ref> May survived two votes of no confidence in December 2018 and January 2019, but after versions of her draft withdrawal agreement were [[Parliamentary votes on Brexit|rejected by Parliament three times]], May announced her resignation on 24 May 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Theresa May resigns over Brexit: What happened?|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48379730|work=BBC News|access-date=26 May 2019|date=24 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526033012/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48379730|archive-date=26 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

Subsequent to the EU referendum vote, and through the premierships of May, Boris Johnson, and their successors, the party shifted right on the political spectrum.<ref name="accu" />