Britain's Andrea Leadsom pulls out of contest for PM

Andrea Leadsom speaks at a news conference in central London, Britain July 7, 2016. REUTERS/Paul Hackett

LONDON (Reuters) - Junior minister Andrea Leadsom said on Monday she was pulling out of the race against interior minister Theresa May to become Britain's next prime minister because she did not have "sufficient support" to form a strong government. "There is no greater privilege than to lead the Conservative Party in government and I would have been deeply honoured to do it," she told journalists. "I have however concluded that 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." (Reporting by Kate Holton and William Schomberg, writing by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Stephen Addison)