This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/19/theresa-may-no-such-thing-as-an-unsackable-minister
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Theresa May says 'there is no such thing as an unsackable minister' | Theresa May says 'there is no such thing as an unsackable minister' |
| (6 months later) | |
| PM challenged on LBC radio over whether ministers’ willingness to leak details from cabinet is sign of her weakened authority | |
| Jessica Elgot | |
| Wed 19 Jul 2017 17.00 BST | |
| First published on Wed 19 Jul 2017 16.42 BST | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| View more sharing options | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Close | |
| Theresa May has warned cabinet colleagues that no minister is “unsackable” in her most direct criticism yet of leaks from the cabinet room. | Theresa May has warned cabinet colleagues that no minister is “unsackable” in her most direct criticism yet of leaks from the cabinet room. |
| The prime minister said the current team of cabinet ministers was safe “for the moment” but that she was prepared to sack persistent leakers. Her comments came after members of the backbench Conservative 1922 Committee told the prime minister she had their backing to sack loose-lipped ministers. | The prime minister said the current team of cabinet ministers was safe “for the moment” but that she was prepared to sack persistent leakers. Her comments came after members of the backbench Conservative 1922 Committee told the prime minister she had their backing to sack loose-lipped ministers. |
| “There’s no such thing as an unsackable minister,” May told LBC’s Iain Dale. “But at the moment the team is together and we are getting on with the job of delivering what we believe the British people want us to do.” | “There’s no such thing as an unsackable minister,” May told LBC’s Iain Dale. “But at the moment the team is together and we are getting on with the job of delivering what we believe the British people want us to do.” |
| May denied the briefing over the weekend was linked to her diminished authority following the party’s poor election result. Leaks over the weekend included several ministers criticising the chancellor, Philip Hammond, for cabinet room comments on public sector pay as well as stories attacking the Brexit secretary, David Davis, and the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson. | May denied the briefing over the weekend was linked to her diminished authority following the party’s poor election result. Leaks over the weekend included several ministers criticising the chancellor, Philip Hammond, for cabinet room comments on public sector pay as well as stories attacking the Brexit secretary, David Davis, and the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson. |
| “I have to say, if you look back over the years, this is not the first time this has happened. It shouldn’t happen. It’s not for ourselves – we’ve got a job to do delivering for the public,” she said. | “I have to say, if you look back over the years, this is not the first time this has happened. It shouldn’t happen. It’s not for ourselves – we’ve got a job to do delivering for the public,” she said. |
| May confirmed she had admonished ministers at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting. “The flavour of it was that being in government is a huge privilege, but it also brings responsibility and part of that is about doing the job we need to do,” she said. | May confirmed she had admonished ministers at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting. “The flavour of it was that being in government is a huge privilege, but it also brings responsibility and part of that is about doing the job we need to do,” she said. |
| “It’s a very simple approach in this country that things said at those cabinet meetings should not be reported publicly in that way and people should accept collective responsibility because when those decisions are taken they are government decisions.” | “It’s a very simple approach in this country that things said at those cabinet meetings should not be reported publicly in that way and people should accept collective responsibility because when those decisions are taken they are government decisions.” |
| May reportedly planned to sack some senior ministers, including Hammond, had she won a large majority in June, but her reshuffle after voters returned a hung parliament was distinctly uneventful, with most key ministers remaining in post. | May reportedly planned to sack some senior ministers, including Hammond, had she won a large majority in June, but her reshuffle after voters returned a hung parliament was distinctly uneventful, with most key ministers remaining in post. |
| In the interview, May also hinted she believed the Church of England should reconsider its approach to gay marriage. The interview came before a reception in Downing Street with LGBT activists to mark Pride. | In the interview, May also hinted she believed the Church of England should reconsider its approach to gay marriage. The interview came before a reception in Downing Street with LGBT activists to mark Pride. |
| “This has to be a matter for the church. The Church of England has itself come a distance in terms of looking at these issues,” she said. “And obviously they will want to reflect as attitudes more generally change, as society changes.” | “This has to be a matter for the church. The Church of England has itself come a distance in terms of looking at these issues,” she said. “And obviously they will want to reflect as attitudes more generally change, as society changes.” |
| May said her father, a Cof E vicar, valued affirming loving relationships though it was “difficult to say” whether he would have approved of blessings for gay couples in churches. | May said her father, a Cof E vicar, valued affirming loving relationships though it was “difficult to say” whether he would have approved of blessings for gay couples in churches. |
| “As an individual, he very much valued the importance of relationships, of people affirming those relationships and the stability of those relationships and people able to be together with people that they love,” she said. | “As an individual, he very much valued the importance of relationships, of people affirming those relationships and the stability of those relationships and people able to be together with people that they love,” she said. |
| On Tuesday John Bercow, the Commons Speaker, told a Pink News reception that it was timethe C of E allowed churches to perform gay marriage ceremonies. | On Tuesday John Bercow, the Commons Speaker, told a Pink News reception that it was timethe C of E allowed churches to perform gay marriage ceremonies. |
| “There’s always a balance to be struck – we don’t want to behave as though it’s all over, that everything has been done … because that isn’t true. I still feel that we can only really have equal marriage when you can bloody well get married in a church if you want to do so,” he said. | “There’s always a balance to be struck – we don’t want to behave as though it’s all over, that everything has been done … because that isn’t true. I still feel that we can only really have equal marriage when you can bloody well get married in a church if you want to do so,” he said. |
| May said she empathised that LGBT people might be worried by the Conservatives’ supply-and-confidence deal with the DUP, given statements made by some of their MPs against homosexuality. “I can completely understand why people who are concerned about some of the attitudes that the DUP … some of the policies that the DUP promote, why they are concerned about this,” she said, but described the deal as something that “happens in politics”. | May said she empathised that LGBT people might be worried by the Conservatives’ supply-and-confidence deal with the DUP, given statements made by some of their MPs against homosexuality. “I can completely understand why people who are concerned about some of the attitudes that the DUP … some of the policies that the DUP promote, why they are concerned about this,” she said, but described the deal as something that “happens in politics”. |
| During May’s interview, Dale also asked the prime minister about her summer walking holiday in the Swiss Alps. “Some people will be grateful I’m going to the Alps and not to Wales,” she joked, in reference to her spring walking holiday, during which she decided to call the snap general election on 8 June. | During May’s interview, Dale also asked the prime minister about her summer walking holiday in the Swiss Alps. “Some people will be grateful I’m going to the Alps and not to Wales,” she joked, in reference to her spring walking holiday, during which she decided to call the snap general election on 8 June. |
| Theresa May | |
| Conservatives | |
| Philip Hammond | |
| European Union | |
| Foreign policy | |
| Brexit | |
| news | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Reuse this content |