May's in-tray: Three big challenges facing the new leader

Theresa May might be celebrating her appointment as Conservative leader and future Prime Minister tonight but she still faces some huge challenges in the weeks ahead.

Video report by ITV News correspondent Romilly Weeks

Once installed at 10 Downing street she must grapple with three major tasks to unify both her party and her country.

At the top of her in-tray will be these challenges:

  • Reunite the Conservative party

The Conservative party has been riven by the bitter EU Referendum vote that saw many members of the party split off from the leadership to back the Leave camp.

May's victory will be a disappointment to those in the party who wanted a "Brexit prime minister" from the Eurosceptic wing of the party.

As the longest-standing home secretary in a decade, May knows many of the senior cabinet well and is poised to play peacemaker.

However, she will have to consider whether to appoint one of the arch-Eurosceptics such as Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, or her former leadership rival Andrea Leadsom into her cabinet to help smooth over divides within the party.

May has promised to deliver a British exit from the EU Credit: PA

  • Trigger article 50 to leave the EU

May has repeatedly promised that she will deliver an exit from the EU - notwithstanding the fact she backed remain.

"Brexit means Brexit - and we are going to make a success of it," she pledged today.

She is widely seen as a highly capable pair of hands, yet negotiating a good deal for the UK outside of the bloc will be a formidable task.

May must try to reach a deal in which the UK can control migration yet still protect British access to the common market.

The British economy will need a steady hand Credit: PA

  • Stabilise the economy

The pound rose on the news that Leadsom was quitting the leadership race today, but May will need to move quickly to cement the city's confidence.

The UK's economy has wobbled on uncertainly following the Brexit vote and the Bank of England is considering cutting interest rates to historic lows.

Paul Johnson, from the Institute for Fiscal Studies told ITV News there will be "big choices" on tax and spending ahead as she takes charge of the country.

Peston - May faces challenges like no prime minister in recent history: