India was affected by May’s policies as home secretary

LONDON: Who exactly is Theresa May, soon to be the second British woman prime minister who may have an equally historic influence as the first, Margaret Thatcher?

LONDON: Who exactly is Theresa May, soon to be the second British woman prime minister who may have an equally historic influence as the first, Margaret Thatcher? May visited India only once in 2012, but has already had much impact on the country and its citizens.

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The tall, lanky and seemingly shy MP from Maidenhead is known as a tough, no-nonsense home secretary who does not do small talk–former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg dealt with her often but always came away reinforcing his vision of her as an “ice maiden”.

Oxford-educated May, 59, has had the longest tenure in a century, of over six years, in the Home Office, which is seen as the graveyard of many political careers. And no home secretary has had more impact on sensitive issues such as immigration and terrorism than May.

Prime Minister David Cameron laid considerable emphasis on India since 2010 – he travelled to the country three times–while May visited once, addressing top officers in the National Police Academy in Hyderabad in November 2012, and mentioning how she incorporated the lessons of the 2008 Mumbai attacks in Britain’s security forces. As prime minister, May is expected to continue Cameron’s focus on India, particularly given that the Brexit camp favoured trade ties with India.