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| Theresa May's chief aides Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill quit after disastrous Tory election campaign | Theresa May's chief aides Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill quit after disastrous Tory election campaign |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Theresa May’s key aides Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill have resigned, taking the blame for her disastrous election campaign. | Theresa May’s key aides Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill have resigned, taking the blame for her disastrous election campaign. |
| Mr Timothy said he was taking responsibility for the social care U-turn which torpedoed her manifesto, acknowledging he had “oversight of our policy programme”. | Mr Timothy said he was taking responsibility for the social care U-turn which torpedoed her manifesto, acknowledging he had “oversight of our policy programme”. |
| “In particular, I regret the decision not to include in the manifesto a ceiling as well as a floor in our proposal to help meet the increasing cost of social care,” he added. | “In particular, I regret the decision not to include in the manifesto a ceiling as well as a floor in our proposal to help meet the increasing cost of social care,” he added. |
| A Conservative spokesman quickly announced that Fiona Hill, Ms May’s other joint chief of staff, had also resigned. | |
| The twin departures will ease the pressure on Ms May herself, after a survey showed that majority of Tory members believe she should step down. | |
| Strikingly, Mr Timothy urged Conservative MPs to “unite behind the Prime Minister, and focus on the need to heal the divisions in our country.” | |
| The appeal reflected the growing belief among Tory MPs that Ms May should stay only in the short term, to provide stability and start the Brexit talks, before making way. | The appeal reflected the growing belief among Tory MPs that Ms May should stay only in the short term, to provide stability and start the Brexit talks, before making way. |
| Since Friday’s results, some senior Tories are referring to Ms May as an “interim leader” – and her Cabinet has failed to come out publicly to support her. | Since Friday’s results, some senior Tories are referring to Ms May as an “interim leader” – and her Cabinet has failed to come out publicly to support her. |
| Ms Hill released only a short statement saying it had been “a pleasure to work with such an excellent Prime Minister”. | Ms Hill released only a short statement saying it had been “a pleasure to work with such an excellent Prime Minister”. |
| “I have no doubt at all that Theresa May will continue to serve and work hard as Prime Minister – and do it brilliantly,” Ms Hill added. | “I have no doubt at all that Theresa May will continue to serve and work hard as Prime Minister – and do it brilliantly,” Ms Hill added. |
| The resignations came just hours after another former Downing Street aide revealed how she oversaw a “toxic” operation at No 10 and relied on Ms Hill’s “crazy ideas”. | The resignations came just hours after another former Downing Street aide revealed how she oversaw a “toxic” operation at No 10 and relied on Ms Hill’s “crazy ideas”. |
| Katie Perrior lifted the lid on a “dysfunctional” operation, which saw Cabinet ministers bombarded with rude text messages by the twin chiefs of staff. | Katie Perrior lifted the lid on a “dysfunctional” operation, which saw Cabinet ministers bombarded with rude text messages by the twin chiefs of staff. |
| Although the departures of Mr Timothy and Ms Hill will buy the Prime Minister breathing space, they are also a huge personal blow to her. | Although the departures of Mr Timothy and Ms Hill will buy the Prime Minister breathing space, they are also a huge personal blow to her. |
| The pair worked with Ms May through her time as Home Secretary and were seen as crucial to her project to re-make the Tory party. | The pair worked with Ms May through her time as Home Secretary and were seen as crucial to her project to re-make the Tory party. |
| Meanwhile, it would require 15 per cent of Conservative MPs – a total of 48 – to write to Graham Brady, the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, to trigger a vote of no-confidence in her leadership. | Meanwhile, it would require 15 per cent of Conservative MPs – a total of 48 – to write to Graham Brady, the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, to trigger a vote of no-confidence in her leadership. |
| In his statement, Mr Timothy revealed he resigned yesterday, although there was no announcement – and accepted seven years of spending cuts also helped explain the Tory setback. | In his statement, Mr Timothy revealed he resigned yesterday, although there was no announcement – and accepted seven years of spending cuts also helped explain the Tory setback. |
| “Britain is a divided country: many are tired of austerity, many remain frustrated or angry about Brexit, and many younger people feel they lack the opportunities enjoyed by their parents’ generation,” he said. | “Britain is a divided country: many are tired of austerity, many remain frustrated or angry about Brexit, and many younger people feel they lack the opportunities enjoyed by their parents’ generation,” he said. |
| However, Mr Timothy insisted Ms May was “the one political leader who understands this division, and who has been working to address it.” | |
| Intriguingly, he said the Conservatives had failed to detect Labour’s surge, because “we were not talking to the people who decided to vote for Labour”. | Intriguingly, he said the Conservatives had failed to detect Labour’s surge, because “we were not talking to the people who decided to vote for Labour”. |
| And he sounded a warning to wavering Tory MPs, saying: “The Brexit negotiations are due to begin, and if the United Kingdom is to get the right deal, there is no time to waste. | And he sounded a warning to wavering Tory MPs, saying: “The Brexit negotiations are due to begin, and if the United Kingdom is to get the right deal, there is no time to waste. |
| “I hope the Conservative Party in Parliament gets behind the Prime Minister, and allows her the political space to negotiate that deal.” | “I hope the Conservative Party in Parliament gets behind the Prime Minister, and allows her the political space to negotiate that deal.” |