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Theresa May leadership in the balance amid Tory election fury Theresa May's leadership in the balance amid Tory election fury
(35 minutes later)
Theresa May’s position as Conservative leader is under pressure after her gamble on an early election appeared to have spectacularly backfired.Theresa May’s position as Conservative leader is under pressure after her gamble on an early election appeared to have spectacularly backfired.
Conservative MPs were shocked and furious after the party lost much of its 20-point lead in the polls during the course of the campaign.Conservative MPs were shocked and furious after the party lost much of its 20-point lead in the polls during the course of the campaign.
They pinned the blame not just on the badly received Tory manifesto, but the performance of May personally, after she made it a presidential-style contest by putting her own “strong and stable” leadership at the centre. They pinned the blame not just on the badly received Tory manifesto, but the performance of May personally, after she made it a presidential-style contest by putting her “strong and stable” leadership at the centre.
George Osborne, the former chancellor who was sacked by May last year, was one of the first senior party figures to react to the result, saying if the exit poll was correct it was “catastrophic” for the Tories and for the prime minister personally. The former chancellor George Osborne, who was sacked by May last year, was one of the first senior party figures to react to the result, saying if the exit poll were correct it would be “catastrophic” for the Tories and the prime minister personally.
“It’s difficult to see, if these numbers are right, how they would put together the coalition to remain in office,” he said on ITV. “But equally it’s quite difficult to see how Labour could put together a coalition. It’s on a real knife-edge.” “It’s difficult to see, if these numbers are right, how they would put together the coalition to remain in office,” he said on ITV. “But equally, it’s quite difficult to see how Labour could put together a coalition. It’s on a real knife edge.”
He said there would be “huge postmortem” about a manifesto drawn up by a very small circle of people in Downing Street and the overall style of the election campaign.He said there would be “huge postmortem” about a manifesto drawn up by a very small circle of people in Downing Street and the overall style of the election campaign.
Sir Craig Oliver, former director of communications at Downing Street for David Cameron, came to a similar verdict on Sky News. Sir Craig Oliver, the former director of communications at Downing Street for David Cameron, came to a similar verdict on Sky News.
“If this is true, if this is accurate, in CCHQ there will be deep and lasting shock,” he said. “It was the biggest gamble a politician has taken for a long time and if that exit poll is right, it’s failed.”“If this is true, if this is accurate, in CCHQ there will be deep and lasting shock,” he said. “It was the biggest gamble a politician has taken for a long time and if that exit poll is right, it’s failed.”
In an ominous sign for May, Liam Fox, the trade secretary, would not guarantee that the prime minister would not have to resign. “It’s very early in the evening and we’ll have to wait and see,” he said. In an ominous sign for May, Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, would not guarantee that the prime minister would not have to resign. “It’s very early in the evening and we’ll have to wait and see,” he said.
On the basis of the first few results, the seats of some big Conservative hitters were under threat, including the home secretary, Amber Rudd, in Hastings and Rye; Ben Gummer, the architect of the manifesto, in Ipswich, and Anna Soubry, a prominent pro-EU former minister, in Broxtowe. On the basis of the first few results, the seats of some Conservative big hitters were under threat, including the home secretary, Amber Rudd, in Hastings and Rye, Ben Gummer, the architect of the manifesto, in Ipswich, and Anna Soubry, a prominent pro-EU former minister, in Broxtowe.
One Conservative MP who held his safe seat said May would be “toast” if she had not managed to at least match Cameron’s record of 330 seats, with the possibility of a new leader installed if they were to attempt to run a minority government.One Conservative MP who held his safe seat said May would be “toast” if she had not managed to at least match Cameron’s record of 330 seats, with the possibility of a new leader installed if they were to attempt to run a minority government.
Betting companies immediately began running odds on potential candidates to replace the Conservative leader, with Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, in the lead, followed by Philip Hammond, May’s chancellor. Betting companies immediately began running odds on potential candidates to replace the Conservative leader, with Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, in the lead, followed by Philip Hammond, the chancellor.
But the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, was sent to the airwaves by Conservative headquarters to calm his party’s nerves, saying: “This is a projection, it’s not a result. These exit polls have been wrong in the past.” But the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, was sent Conservative headquarters to calm his party’s nerves, saying on television: “This is a projection, it’s not a result. These exit polls have been wrong in the past.”
If May does still manage to get a majority, her leadership would still be weakened, as the Conservatives had been hoping for a lead in seats in of up to 100. If May manages to get a majority, her leadership would still be weakened, as the Conservatives had been hoping for a lead in seats of up to 100.
The prime minister toured many Labour-held target constituencies with the aim of winning over the opposition’s pro-Brexit heartlands.The prime minister toured many Labour-held target constituencies with the aim of winning over the opposition’s pro-Brexit heartlands.
But her proposed shakeup of social care, which meant people would have to pay for care in their homes out of the value of their property, went down extremely badly with voters, along with an abandonment of the triple lock on pensions and withdrawal of the winter fuel payments from the wealthy. But her proposed shakeup of social care, which meant people would have to pay for care in their homes out of the value of their property, went down extremely badly with voters, along with a proposal to abandon the triple lock on pensions and withdraw winter fuel payments from the wealthy.
In the campaign postmortem Tory MPs will demand to know how a manifesto was published with a raft of unpopular policies and a lack of sweeteners to appeal to the electorate. In the campaign postmortem, Tory MPs will demand to know how a manifesto was published with a raft of unpopular policies and lack of sweeteners to appeal to the electorate.
Above all, the decision to put May at the front and centre of the campaign will be challenged, given her wooden media performances and refusal to debate head-to-head with the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn. Above all, the decision to put May front and centre will be challenged, given her wooden media performances and refusal to debate head to head with the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
Sensing her weakness, Labour and the Liberal Democrats are expected to go after the prime minister hard. A Labour source said: “If this exit poll is correct, Theresa May’s credibility is completely shot. As May said herself, if she lost just six seats in this election she would not be prime minister.”Sensing her weakness, Labour and the Liberal Democrats are expected to go after the prime minister hard. A Labour source said: “If this exit poll is correct, Theresa May’s credibility is completely shot. As May said herself, if she lost just six seats in this election she would not be prime minister.”
Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, said: “She should go, because I think she has manifestly failed.”Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, said: “She should go, because I think she has manifestly failed.”
Ukip was unhappy with May for a different reason, saying the prime minister had “put Brexit in jeopardy”.Ukip was unhappy with May for a different reason, saying the prime minister had “put Brexit in jeopardy”.
The situation is complicated by the fact that Brexit negotiations are due to start in 11 days’ time. Ken Clarke, the former Tory chancellor and pro-EU MP, said a hung parliament would be very difficult for the progress of the talks. The situation is complicated by the fact that Brexit negotiations are due to start in 11 days. Ken Clarke, the former Tory chancellor and pro-EU MP, said a hung parliament would be very difficult for the progress of the talks.
“I think the worst outcome for the United Kingdom would be a weak government and a hung parliament of any party and we just have to see where we get,” he said.“I think the worst outcome for the United Kingdom would be a weak government and a hung parliament of any party and we just have to see where we get,” he said.
“If we continue with another parliament with a small majority then firstly we will have to have some deeper debates ... particularly on Brexit, and, actually, as we face some appalling difficulties in my opinion, this is a critical stage for us. Politics is changing.”“If we continue with another parliament with a small majority then firstly we will have to have some deeper debates ... particularly on Brexit, and, actually, as we face some appalling difficulties in my opinion, this is a critical stage for us. Politics is changing.”