Britain won't take EU presidency: PM May

British Prime Minister Theresa May has told European Council President Donald Tusk that Britain will not take over the presidency next year, Downing Street confirmed Wednesday.

Britain was scheduled to hold the seat in the second half of next year, but May has decided Britain should miss its turn after the recent referendum vote to leave the European Union (EU).

May gave her decision to Tusk in a telephone call on Tuesday between the pair, Downing Street confirmed Wednesday.

The presidency rotates between the 28 EU member states on a six-monthly basis, giving each the opportunity to shape the agenda.

A Downing Street spokesman said that May told Tusk that giving up the presidency was "the right thing to do given we will be very busy with negotiations to leave the EU".

May also told Tusk she felt it was right to give other EU member nations time to make arrangements for a different country to be appointed to hold the presidency during that period.

In the statement Number 10 said Tusk welcomed the fact that May had come to a swift decision on the issue.

The telephone call was May's first conversation with the European Council president since she became prime minister last week.

May was on Wednesday set to hold her first Prime Minister's Question Time in the House of Commons before heading to Europe for a series of meetings. She is due to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and on Thursday she meets French President Francois Hollande.

(APD)