Politics

Theresa May: unpredictable, moralistic and heading to No 10

For a woman who is on the verge of running the country, Theresa May seems almost preternaturally calm.

“She’s basically the same as ever; quite relaxed and cheerful. There’s no sense of the prison shades falling,” says a longstanding friend. But then she knows better than almost anyone what’s coming.

Over the past six years May has weathered riots, sat in on a decision to go to war, and chaired an emergency Cobra meeting in the prime minister’s absence following the murder of soldier Lee Rigby.

She has been diligently doing her homework for years and, although even she did not foresee David Cameron resigning in these circumstances (or Andrea Leadsom’s sudden withdrawal from the race to replace him), she is as ready as she will ever be.