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Senior Tories cast doubt on Theresa May's long-term future as leader Senior Tories cast doubt on Theresa May's long-term future as leader
(35 minutes later)
Senior Conservatives have cast doubt over Theresa May’s insistence that she can lead the party into the next election. Senior Conservatives have cast doubt on Theresa May’s insistence that she can lead the party into the next election.
In a series of TV interviews during a visit to Japan the prime minister claimed she was “not a quitter”. Asked by both the BBC and Sky News whether she wanted to lead the Conservatives into another election, she said: “Yes. I’m in this for the long term.” In a series of TV interviews during a visit to Japan, the prime minister claimed she was “not a quitter”. Asked by the BBC and Sky News whether she wanted to lead the Conservatives into another election, she said: “Yes. I’m in this for the long term.”
But the former education secretary Nicky Morgan said it would be difficult for May to fight another election, and Tory grandee Michael Heseltine said May had no long-term future. But the former education secretary Nicky Morgan said it would be difficult for May to fight another election, and the Tory grandee Michael Heseltine said she had no long-term future.
Speaking to the BBC’s Hard Talk programme, Morgan, who is now chair of the Commons Treasury committee, said: “One of the things that has been missing has been an attempt to reconcile the faultlines in the Conservative party shown up by Europe.” Speaking to the BBC’s HARDtalk programme, Morgan, the chair of the Treasury select committee, said: “One of the things that has been missing has been an attempt to reconcile the faultlines in the Conservative party shown up by Europe.
She added: “I think it’s going to be difficult for Theresa May to lead us into the next general election ... We have got to think about how we renew our franchise.” “I think it’s going to be difficult for Theresa May to lead us into the next general election ... We have got to think about how we renew our franchise.”
Lord Heseltine, who was deputy prime minister under John Major, was more scathing. He told the BBC Radio 4’s The World Tonight that Conservative MPs needed to decide whether they want a repeat of Theresa May’s election battle with Jeremy Corbyn. Lord Heseltine, who was deputy prime minister under John Major, was more scathing, telling BBC Radio 4’s The World Tonight that Conservative MPs needed to decide whether they wanted a repeat of May’s election battle with Jeremy Corbyn.
“My own guess is they won’t. The long term is the difficult one for Theresa May because I don’t think she’s got a long term,” he said.“My own guess is they won’t. The long term is the difficult one for Theresa May because I don’t think she’s got a long term,” he said.
Heseltine, who, like Morgan, campaigned for Britain to stay in the European Union, predicted the UK would face another general election in the next two years. Heseltine, who, like Morgan, campaigned for Britain to stay in the EU, predicted that the UK would face another general election in the next two years.
The former party chair Grant Shapps likened May’s interview to Margaret Thatcher’s infamous pledge to “go on and on”. The former party chairman Grant Shapps likened May’s interview to Margaret Thatcher’s pledge to “go on and on”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “I think colleagues may well be surprised by this interview last night and I think it is too early to be talking about going on and on, as Margaret Thatcher once said. Let’s get some progress for the British people first; I think that’s the priority.” “I think colleagues may well be surprised by this interview last night and I think it is too early to be talking about going on and on, as Margaret Thatcher once said. Let’s get some progress for the British people first; I think that’s the priority,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Katie Perrior, a director of communications at No 10 until the snap election was called, said May had no choice but to commit to the long term, but predicted that she would not fight the next election. Katie Perrior, a director of communications at No 10 until the snap election was called, said May had no choice but to commit to staying for the long term, but predicted that she would not fight the next election.
She told Today: “I think she said exactly the right thing. It is the only thing she could say. I know when David Cameron announced that he was going to step down at a certain point, it was downhill from there. She knows in politics you never give your end date.” “I think she said exactly the right thing. It is the only thing she could say. I know when David Cameron announced that he was going to step down at a certain point, it was downhill from there,” Perrior told Today. “She knows in politics you never give your end date.”
Asked if May would lead the Tories into another election, Perrior said: “No.” Asked if May would lead the Tories into another election, she said: “No.”
Sarah Wollaston, another leading Tory remainer who was critical of the election campaign, expressed loyalty to the prime minister. Wollaston, who is chair of the health select committee, tweeted that May was right to commit to the long term. Dr Sarah Wollaston, the chair of the health select committee and leading Tory remainer, who was critical of the election campaign, expressed loyalty to the prime minister on Twitter.
#TheresaMay right to commit to long term leadership. Calm & effective in her role despite extraordinary pressures of recent months#TheresaMay right to commit to long term leadership. Calm & effective in her role despite extraordinary pressures of recent months
The pro-Brexit wing of the party also backed May’s comments. Nigel Evans, a former shadow Welsh secretary, who was also critical of the election campaign, said the prime minister’s vow to continue was “great news”. The pro-Brexit wing of the party also backed May’s comments. The former shadow Wales secretary Nigel Evans, who also criticised the election campaign, said the prime minister’s vow to continue was great news.
“We need no more instability whilst the PM focuses on disentangling the UK from the EU,” he said. “We have the right leader and PM to deliver this for us.” “We need no more instability while the PM focuses on disentangling the UK from the EU,” he said. “We have the right leader and PM to deliver this for us.”
Arch Eurosceptic Peter Bone told the BBC’s Newsnight May would be regarded as a national hero if she delivered Brexit. The arch-Eurosceptic Peter Bone told the BBC’s Newsnight that May would be regarded as a national hero if she delivered Brexit.
If Theresa May delivers Brexit, she will be a national hero - @PeterBoneUK says there is no plotting against the PM #newsnight pic.twitter.com/qtFNzWcheSIf Theresa May delivers Brexit, she will be a national hero - @PeterBoneUK says there is no plotting against the PM #newsnight pic.twitter.com/qtFNzWcheS
The Tory backbencher Nadine Dorries also appeared to link May’s future to the Brexit negotiations.The Tory backbencher Nadine Dorries also appeared to link May’s future to the Brexit negotiations.
There are many MPs want @theresa_may to keep going - she won #GE2017 She kept Corbyn out of No10 She's delivering #BrexitThere are many MPs want @theresa_may to keep going - she won #GE2017 She kept Corbyn out of No10 She's delivering #Brexit
Fellow Eurosceptic Jon Redwood told Sky News that if May “wishes to remain as leader that’s fine by me”. The Eurosceptic Jon Redwood told Sky News that if May “wishes to remain as leader that’s fine by me”.
He added: “There won’t be a leadership election until such time as she resigns and she has made it very clear she is not going to. So anyone who thought they needed to get a leadership campaign ready was wasting their time.” “There won’t be a leadership election until such time as she resigns and she has made it very clear she is not going to,” he said. “So anyone who thought they needed to get a leadership campaign ready was wasting their time.”
On an official trip to Nigeria, the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, who is considered a leading contender to replace May, said he supported the prime minster staying on.On an official trip to Nigeria, the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, who is considered a leading contender to replace May, said he supported the prime minster staying on.
He said: “We need to get Brexit done. She’s ideally placed to deliver a great outcome for our country and then deliver what we all want to see, which is this exciting agenda of global Britain,” the BBC reported him saying. “We need to get Brexit done. She’s ideally placed to deliver a great outcome for our country and then deliver what we all want to see, which is this exciting agenda of global Britain,” the BBC reported him as saying.
“I think she gets it. She really wants to deliver it. I’m here to support her.”“I think she gets it. She really wants to deliver it. I’m here to support her.”