UPDATED 5.45PM

THERESA May is set to be appointed Prime Minister on Wednesday after Andrea Leadsom pulled out of the race for Downing Street.

Mrs Leadsom, a Brexit-backing energy minister, has quit the Conservative Party leadership contest in another dramatic Westminster twist.

The Home Secretary has been unveiled as new Conservative leader within the last few minutes and will now take over as PM on Wednesday after Prime Minister's Questions.

Mrs Leadsom, 53, had battled through to the final shortlist of two for 130,000 Tory Party members to vote on but stunned her backers today by calling a nine-week delay to confirm the winner "highly undesirable".

She had come under severe criticism for some remarks published in The Times newspaper on Saturday, where she suggested her motherhood made her ideally placed to become Prime Minister, although it is not known how large a part that played in today's announcement.

She first criticised the newspaper's handling of her remarks, as Mrs May is childless, but did apologise yesterday.

The Conservative Party's 1922 Committee, which organised the leadership election process, confirmed Mrs May as new Tory leader shortly before 5pm today, before she addressed a gathering of MPs near Westminster at 5.30pm.

She called her swift rise "deeply humbling" and "an honour", saying she will offer Britain "unity and strong leadership" post-Brexit.

She said: "I am honoured and humbled to have been chosen by the Conservative party to become its leader.

"I would like to pay tribute to the other candidates during the election campaign and I would like to pay tribute to Andrea Leadsom for the dignity that she has shown today.

"I would also like to pay tribute to David Cameron for the leadership that he has shown our party and our country.

"During this campaign my case has been based on three things.

"First, the need for strong, proven leadership to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times, the need, of course, to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU, and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world.

"Brexit means Brexit, and we are going to make a success of it.

"Second, we are going to unite our country and, third, we need a strong, new positive vision for the future of our country, a vision of a country that works not for the privileged few but that works for everyone one of us.

"Because we are going to give people more control over their lives. And that’s how, together, we will build a better Britain."

Worcester MP Robin Walker said: "As I've always said all along, I've been very keen to back Theresa.

"I think Andrea's statement was very patriotic and sensible, we can now get on with it and give confidence to the markets by getting our new Prime Minister in place.

"I like and respect Andrea a lot and give her great credit for this, and look forward to Theresa May taking over as Prime Minister."

Speaking to reporters at earlier today, Mrs Leadsom said: "The referendum result represented a clear desire for change - a nine-week leadership campaign at such a critical point for our country is highly undesirable.

"The interests of our country are best served by the immediate appointment of a strong and well-supported Prime Minister.

"I am therefore withdrawing from the leadership election and I wish Theresa May the very greatest success. I assure her of my full support."

GIVE LEADSOM A BREXIT JOB, SAYS COUNTY MP

A WORCESTERSHIRE MP has today called for Andrea Leadsom to play a role at the heart of Government - saying she can help with the Brexit negotiations.

Nigel Huddleston, who has been backing Theresa May as new party leader and Prime Minister, says Mrs Leadsom can still perform "a key role" despite pulling out of the race.

Mr Huddleston has also written to grassroots party members to apologise to them for not being able to vote on an ultimate winner.

In his note, also sent to the Worcester News, he said: "I'm confident Theresa May will prove a very wise choice as Prime Minister and that Andrea Leadsom will play a key role in the party - and I hope the Cabinet for many years to come.

"Her talents in helping the Brexit negotiations in particular may be of great value."

He added: "I'm sorry that party members will now not likely have a choice in a leadership ballot.

"But it is comforting to know the overwhelming majority of party members were supporting Theresa May even if they had supported Brexit in the referendum."

HARRIETT BALDWIN'S DELIGHT AT EARLY END TO CONTEST

A COUNTY MP has spoken of her delight at the Conservative leadership battle coming to an abrupt end.

Harriett Baldwin, a minister in The Treasury, told the Worcester News Mrs Leadsom made the right choice due to the sheer volume of parliamentary support for the Home Secretary.

It comes as all eyes now turn to which Tory MPs secure top jobs within the new-look Government under the imminent shake-up.

Mrs May is expected to move quickly to shuffle her pack, with Chancellor George Osborne expected to be sacked at the head of the Treasury following her stark criticism of his record in a speech this morning.

Another Worcestershire MP Sajid Javid, the current Business Secretary, will be expecting a Cabinet role after backing Mrs May once Stephen Crabb pulled out the contest last week.

Mrs Baldwin said: “As one of the two thirds of the parliamentary party who backed Theresa May as the next Prime Minister, I am clearly delighted that she has now won the role on an uncontested basis.

“I was delighted that Andrea put her name forward and two excellent female Conservative MPs made it to the final shortlist.

“She has made a good and right decision at this time to withdraw from the process.

“She has a bright future in politics and I am very proud to be her colleague.”

Mr Cameron said: "I’m delighted that Theresa May will be the next Prime Minister.

"She is strong, she is competent, she’s more than able to provide the leadership the country is going to need in the years ahead and she will have my full support."

He said he intended to hold his final Cabinet meeting tomorrow and stage his final PMQs on Wednesday before handing over as Prime Minister.