Cameron leaves Downing St to tender resignation

LONDON: David Cameron visited Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday to tender his resignation as Britain´s prime minister, standing down following the seismic vote to leave the European Union.

In a final statement in front of the prime minister´s Downing Street office, flanked by his wife and children, he said it had been "the greatest honour of my life" to serve as premier for the past six years.

"My only wish is continued success for this great country that I love so very much," he told assembled reporters.

During a meeting with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, Cameron was to offer his resignation and recommend that Theresa May, his successor as leader of the Conservative Party, be entrusted with forming the next government.

After six years as premier, five of them in a coalition government and one as leader of a Conservative majority administration, Cameron maintained he had left Britain in better shape than when he took office.

"It´s not been an easy journey and, of course, we have not got every decision right, but I do believe that today our country is much stronger," he said.

He paid tribute to his wife Samantha -- "the love of my life -- you have kept me vaguely sane" -- as well as his children Nancy, Elwen and Florence, who stood behind him.

"They sometimes kick the red boxes full of work. Florence -- you once climbed into one, before a foreign trip, and said ´take me with you´. No more boxes," he said.

Raising his voice over the noise of the wind, Cameron also paid tribute to his successor, saying she would provide "strong and stable leadership".

"I am delighted that for the second time in British history the new prime minister will be a woman -- and once again, a Conservative," he said.

"I believe Theresa will provide strong and stable leadership in fulfilling the Conservative manifesto on which we were elected.

"And I wish her well in negotiating the best possible terms for Britain´s exit from the European Union."

Cameron had campaigned hard for Britain to stay within the EU, but Britons voted by 52 percent to leave on June 23, plunging the country into uncertainty.