Leaders and European

relationship partnership: Key points:Former justice minister Michael Gove among those booted out Theresa May tells European leaders UK needs time to prepare for Brexit Bank of England keeps interest rates unchanged A day after replacing David Cameron, Ms May told the head of the European Commission that Britain needed time to determine its negotiating strategy, brushing off pressure from European leaders to swiftly launch the two-year official exit process, according to Australian Broadcasting Corporation. She also spoke to US President Barack Obama, underlining Britain commitment to sustaining the countries' "special relationship" and partnership on intelligence-sharing. Related Story: 'A liar with his back against the wall': World reacts to Boris Johnson appointment Related Story: Meet the new leaders of Brexit Britain Related Story: Boris Johnson history of undiplomatic gaffes Map: United Kingdom New British Prime Minister Theresa May has continued her ruthless overhaul of the cabinet, sacking a raft of ministers, promoting loyalists and putting supporters of Britain exit from the European Union firmly in charge of negotiating its terms. Her most contentious appointment in the new cabinet is Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, accused by his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault of lying to Britons in the run-up to last month shock referendum vote to leave the 28-nation EU. Mr Johnson, who during the campaign compared the bloc aims to those of Hitler and Napoleon, told reporters that despite Brexit, Britain could play an even greater role in Europe. "There a massive difference between leaving the EU and our relations with Europe, which if anything I think are going to be intensified," he told reporters. The Bank of England kept interest rates unchanged on Thursday, wrong-footing many investors who had expected the first cut in more than seven years. Three weeks after the referendum, Ms May new government faces the formidably complex task of extricating Britain from the EU — itself reeling from the shock of Brexit — while trying to protect the economy from feared disruption to confidence, trade and investment. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.