THERESA May promised to give British people "more control over their lives" after a day of political drama saw her coronation as David Cameron's successor as Prime Minister.

The Home Secretary will take office as Britain's second female premier tomorrow.

She was unexpectedly transformed from leadership candidate to Prime Minister-designate by the sensational decision of her only rival, Andrea Leadsom, to pull out of the race to succeed Mr Cameron, which had been due to last until September 9.

Conservative MPs across Hampshire have welcomed the result, telling the Daily Echo that Mrs May will be a “formidable” successor to Mr Cameron.

May supporter Steve Brine, MP for Winchester and Chandler's Ford, said: "I backed Theresa because I think it's her time and it's the right time for her. These is a challenging period for our country and her experience at the very top of Government is going to be invaluable in the years ahead. She had my full support as did David Cameron."

Meon Valley MP George Hollingbery said: "I am delighted Theresa is now our country’s new Prime Minister.

There could not be a steadier pair of hands to give leadership and clarity of thought to the challenges the UK now faces, both in leaving the EU, and in the task of uniting the country. She is someone I can speak of personally because of my time as her parliamentary private secretary during the last government.

"Very quickly I saw she provides superb leadership. She listens. She changes her mind when the evidence changes but relentlessly pursues her goals when she knows she’s doing the right thing.

"I have now worked closely with several government departments and I have never seen in any other the loyalty and, indeed, the love that she commands from her staff in the Home Office.They are utterly dedicated to her and that is a prize not won lightly.

"So my firm view is she will be the PM we need right now for Brexit. But there is much more to Theresa than that.

"This country must heal its divisions politically, socially and economically and her vow to bring people back together from all classes and backgrounds, from all parts of the country, is entirely the right way forward. This is a leader who has fought injustice and who is not scared of taking on vested interests both here and abroad. In my view, there was never any other candidate for the job - contest or no contest."

Fareham MP Suella Fernandes, who previously backed Michael Gove, added: “I am very pleased that Theresa May will be our new Prime Minister, and she has my full support. It is now the duty of the Conservative Party to unite behind her and give the country the leadership it needs as we negotiate our departure from the EU.”

Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith said: “She is going to make a fine Prime Minister, she is a fantastically safe pair of hands she has the experience, knows her own mind and she will be a worthy successor. Once it got down to the last two I was a May supporter and I’m very pleased with this result I think the fact that she was a Remain supporter actually makes her the right person to handle what comes next.”

Desmond Swayne, MP for New Forest West and an Andrea Leadsom supporter said that Mrs May would be a “formidable” Prime Minister but he had been looking forward to the competition, he added: “I think it’s best to get on with it now.”

Mims Davies, MP for Eastleigh said: “I’ve made no secret I think Theresa May is the best person to be Prime Minister and to negotiate our leaving the EU.

“I know many people in the party would have liked a leadership contest, but actually getting a new Prime Minister in place has become more urgent as the days have gone on. Leaving the decision until September was not in the country’s best interests.”

Mr Cameron said he was "delighted" that the 59-year-old Home Secretary will replace him in Downing Street.

Speaking outside Number 10, he said: "She is strong, she is competent, she is more than able to provide the leadership that our country is going to need in the years ahead and she will have my full support."

Mrs May also won the backing of Brexit standard-bearers Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, who issued messages of support immediately after Mrs Leadsom's withdrawal, at a time when there was still some confusion in Westminster over whether she would now have to fight a different opponent.

Labour election co-ordinator Jon Trickett said he was putting the whole party on general election footing, on the very day when its own leadership contest was kicked off by a formal challenge to Jeremy Corbyn from Angela Eagle.

Mrs May set her face against a snap election when she launched her campaign for the Tory leadership on June 30, saying: ''There should be no general election until 2020.''

But other parties are likely to remind her of Mr Cameron's demand for an immediate election in 2007, on the grounds that Tony Blair's successor Gordon Brown "doesn't have the mandate (and) wasn't elected as Prime Minister".