May agrees to give timetable for departure

LONDON — British Prime Minister Theresa May fended off pressure Thursday from Conservative Party lawmakers demanding that she set a date for her resignation, buying herself a few more weeks to try to unblock Britain’s Brexit impasse.

But she agreed to give a timetable next month for her departure, raising the prospect that Britain will get a new prime minister before it leaves the European Union — currently scheduled for Oct. 31.

Leaders of a powerful committee that oversees Conservative leadership contests met May to express growing frustration in party ranks at her refusal to name an exit date following her failure to take Britain out of the EU by the original Brexit date of March 29.

Members of the body, known as the 1922 Committee, have threatened May with a leadership challenge if she does not step down.

Committee chairman Graham Brady said after the “frank” meeting that May wanted to defer naming her departure date until Parliament votes on her Brexit bill in the week of June 3.

“Following that … she and I will meet to agree a timetable for the election of a new leader of the Conservative Party,” Brady said.

May’s successor will be chosen by a party leadership contest in which any Conservative lawmaker can run. The winner will become party leader and prime minister.

Pro-brexit Conservatives are furious that Britain has not yet left the EU, almost three years after voters backed Brexit in a referendum. Many want May replaced with a more staunchly pro-brexit leader such as former foreign secretary Boris Johnson.

Johnson said Thursday that “of course I’m going to go for it” when the contest to replace May as Conservative leader is launched. Several members of May’s Cabinet have also started unofficial campaigns.