By Alec Hogg
South African ties with the UK are strong. The connection extends to the UK’s biggest talking point in decades, its surprise decision to leave the European Union.
Multi-millionaire Arron Banks, prime financier of the successful Brexit campaign, owns a Kimberley diamond mine and a house in Pretoria. The colourful insurance entrepreneur from Bristol, who gave a reported £6m to “Leave”, also has a licence to mine in Lesotho.
Banks yesterday disclosed he is financially supporting 53 year old Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom to become the next British Prime Minister. The betting suggests she (3/1) and Home Secretary Theresa May (3/10) will be the options offered to 150 000 Conservative Party members next month.
This suggests Britain is poised to appoint its first female Prime Minister since Margaret Thatcher resigned 26 years ago. Today sees the first stage of a process where Tory MPs vote to progressively reduce the candidates from five to just two.
