This article is from the source 'bbc' 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 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40835888

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Election 2017: Tories 'should have focused on change' Election 2017: Tories 'should have focused on change'
(about 4 hours later)
The Conservative Party should have campaigned for "change not continuity" in the general election, one of Theresa May's former leading advisers has said.The Conservative Party should have campaigned for "change not continuity" in the general election, one of Theresa May's former leading advisers has said.
Nick Timothy told the Daily Telegraph that Downing Street was also guilty of a breakdown in communication with both the public and Whitehall departments.Nick Timothy told the Daily Telegraph that Downing Street was also guilty of a breakdown in communication with both the public and Whitehall departments.
The party clearly underestimated Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, he added.The party clearly underestimated Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, he added.
Mr Timothy resigned as the prime minister's joint chief of staff after the Tories lost their majority.Mr Timothy resigned as the prime minister's joint chief of staff after the Tories lost their majority.
He said: "If the party retreats into a comfort zone that we don't find very challenging, I worry that we will not only fail to address the challenges the country faces but we will also increase the chances of a hard-left government in five years' time."He said: "If the party retreats into a comfort zone that we don't find very challenging, I worry that we will not only fail to address the challenges the country faces but we will also increase the chances of a hard-left government in five years' time."
Mr Timothy was joint chief of staff alongside Fiona Hill, and co-wrote the Conservatives' manifesto going into the general election.Mr Timothy was joint chief of staff alongside Fiona Hill, and co-wrote the Conservatives' manifesto going into the general election.
Theresa May's top aides quit
Who are Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill?
Election Results 2017 summary
Full UK results breakdown
He rejected reports that Mrs May had intended to sack Chancellor Philip Hammond if she increased her Commons majority.He rejected reports that Mrs May had intended to sack Chancellor Philip Hammond if she increased her Commons majority.
Mrs May is still prepared to walk away from Brexit talks without a deal, he added, but her hopes of reversing the ban on new grammar schools are over.Mrs May is still prepared to walk away from Brexit talks without a deal, he added, but her hopes of reversing the ban on new grammar schools are over.
Mr Timothy said plans for ministers to play a bigger part in the election campaign were overruled by party strategists.Mr Timothy said plans for ministers to play a bigger part in the election campaign were overruled by party strategists.
He conceded it "probably is true that there should have been more on the economy during the campaign".He conceded it "probably is true that there should have been more on the economy during the campaign".
"Overall the lesson of the election for the party and for the government cannot be: 'Oh well, we tried that and we didn't win the election we were hoping for so let's not try it any more'," he said."Overall the lesson of the election for the party and for the government cannot be: 'Oh well, we tried that and we didn't win the election we were hoping for so let's not try it any more'," he said.
"If the party retreats to a much more orthodox Conservative proposition then I worry that won't be sufficient to tackle the big problems that the country has and in five years' time we do risk the election of a dangerous left-wing alternative.""If the party retreats to a much more orthodox Conservative proposition then I worry that won't be sufficient to tackle the big problems that the country has and in five years' time we do risk the election of a dangerous left-wing alternative."
Mr Timothy was interviewed by the Telegraph ahead of starting to write a weekly column for the paper.Mr Timothy was interviewed by the Telegraph ahead of starting to write a weekly column for the paper.