Theresa May

LONDON — Andrea Leadsom withdrew today from the race to replace British Prime Minister David Cameron, leaving Home Secretary Theresa May as the sole remaining candidate to lead the Conservative Party.

Graham Brady, the head of the committee running the contest, said after Leadsom’s announcement that the party board would meet to discuss confirming May as the winner. He did not suggest reopening the race and did not say when the party might confirm that she has won.

Assuming she is confirmed, May could become prime minister within days. Cameron announced his resignation after British voters rejected his advice and chose to leave the European Union in a referendum last month, though he wasn’t expected to step down until September.

Leadsom withdrew after a weekend uproar over comments she made suggesting that being a mother would be an advantage in the job. Leadsom has children; May does not.

It wasn’t clear whether the flap affected Leadsom’s decision to drop out. She said in a brief announcement that she did not believe she had sufficient support within the party to remain in the race.

Leadsom said “business needs certainty” in the wake of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, which has unsettled the markets and sent the value of the pound plunging.

She said Britain needed a government that would “move quickly to set out what an independent United Kingdom’s framework for business looks like.

“We now need a new prime minister in place as soon as possible,” Leadsom said.

May was in favor of the UK remaining in the EU, while Leadsom campaigned for the “leave” side.