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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| ‘Window is closing’: Tories voice fresh criticism of May | ‘Window is closing’: Tories voice fresh criticism of May |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Pressure rises on prime minister as Conservatives complain about government’s lack of purpose | Pressure rises on prime minister as Conservatives complain about government’s lack of purpose |
| Rowena Mason Deputy political editor | Rowena Mason Deputy political editor |
| Mon 29 Jan 2018 12.49 GMT | Mon 29 Jan 2018 12.49 GMT |
| Last modified on Mon 29 Jan 2018 15.55 GMT | |
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| Theresa May has come under further fire from her own side as one of her MPs said the “window is closing” on her leadership and her former chief of staff laid into the government’s lack of purpose. | Theresa May has come under further fire from her own side as one of her MPs said the “window is closing” on her leadership and her former chief of staff laid into the government’s lack of purpose. |
| A string of Conservatives voiced fresh criticism, casting further doubts on the stability of the prime minister’s position after recent complaints about her lack of vision and rows about the direction of Brexit. | A string of Conservatives voiced fresh criticism, casting further doubts on the stability of the prime minister’s position after recent complaints about her lack of vision and rows about the direction of Brexit. |
| Johnny Mercer, a Conservative backbencher tipped as a future leader, said a change of leadership would not be helpful and he did not support such a move but signalled it could still come to pass. | Johnny Mercer, a Conservative backbencher tipped as a future leader, said a change of leadership would not be helpful and he did not support such a move but signalled it could still come to pass. |
| “How long has the prime minister got? I am of the view that any sort of change in leadership is not helpful at the moment and I don’t support that, but I do think the window is closing because politics can be quite a brutal game,” he said. | “How long has the prime minister got? I am of the view that any sort of change in leadership is not helpful at the moment and I don’t support that, but I do think the window is closing because politics can be quite a brutal game,” he said. |
| He added that pressure was inevitable “if you don’t answer the questions that people want us to answer” on issues such as defence, housing and the NHS. | He added that pressure was inevitable “if you don’t answer the questions that people want us to answer” on issues such as defence, housing and the NHS. |
| The Plymouth Moor View MP was also scathing about May’s failure to get people on board with her vision. “You have to deliver. You can’t just always talk about the speech outside No 10 Downing Street – which was very very good. | The Plymouth Moor View MP was also scathing about May’s failure to get people on board with her vision. “You have to deliver. You can’t just always talk about the speech outside No 10 Downing Street – which was very very good. |
| “You have to bridge the gap between that and how it feels if you are suffering from mental health problems in a place like Plymouth,” he said. | “You have to bridge the gap between that and how it feels if you are suffering from mental health problems in a place like Plymouth,” he said. |
| Also criticising May’s government was Nick Timothy, her former co-chief of staff and architect of the 2017 Conservative manifesto, who said the government failing to show “purpose and direction”, arguing that “the lack of those things at the moment is what is causing the government its difficulties”. | Also criticising May’s government was Nick Timothy, her former co-chief of staff and architect of the 2017 Conservative manifesto, who said the government failing to show “purpose and direction”, arguing that “the lack of those things at the moment is what is causing the government its difficulties”. |
| He suggested May could embrace some of her critics such as the Conservative former minister Nick Boles and get them to come up with policies to help address major domestic problems. | He suggested May could embrace some of her critics such as the Conservative former minister Nick Boles and get them to come up with policies to help address major domestic problems. |
| “It feels increasingly clear that the country is tired of austerity and the public services are starting to feel the strain a little bit,” he said. “While the NHS needs reform it also needs more money, and I don’t think many people think the defence budget is sustainable. There’s quite a strong argument that fiscal policy needs to change.” | “It feels increasingly clear that the country is tired of austerity and the public services are starting to feel the strain a little bit,” he said. “While the NHS needs reform it also needs more money, and I don’t think many people think the defence budget is sustainable. There’s quite a strong argument that fiscal policy needs to change.” |
| At the same time, May is under increasing pressure within the cabinet over the direction of her policy on the UK’s Brexit transition period and future relationship with the EU, as she prepared to hold a meeting of her Brexit sub-committee on Monday morning. | At the same time, May is under increasing pressure within the cabinet over the direction of her policy on the UK’s Brexit transition period and future relationship with the EU, as she prepared to hold a meeting of her Brexit sub-committee on Monday morning. |
| Tensions have broken into the open after hardline Brexit supporters were furious with claims by the chancellor, Philip Hammond, that there might only be a “modest” change in the UK’s relationship with the bloc. | Tensions have broken into the open after hardline Brexit supporters were furious with claims by the chancellor, Philip Hammond, that there might only be a “modest” change in the UK’s relationship with the bloc. |
| The energy minister, Claire Perry, also infuriated pro-leave MPs by privately describing critics of the Brexit divorce bill as “the swivel-eyed few” in a WhatsApp group. | The energy minister, Claire Perry, also infuriated pro-leave MPs by privately describing critics of the Brexit divorce bill as “the swivel-eyed few” in a WhatsApp group. |
| As the bookmakers’ odds of May leaving her post this year shortened, several senior Conservatives emerged on the airwaves to shore up the prime minister’s position. | As the bookmakers’ odds of May leaving her post this year shortened, several senior Conservatives emerged on the airwaves to shore up the prime minister’s position. |
| Liam Fox, the trade secretary, told Bloomberg News that plotters against May would be “foolish to do anything to destabilise the government and the prime minister”. | Liam Fox, the trade secretary, told Bloomberg News that plotters against May would be “foolish to do anything to destabilise the government and the prime minister”. |
| He added: “Nothing will change the electoral arithmetic.” | He added: “Nothing will change the electoral arithmetic.” |
| Justine Greening, who May sacked as education secretary earlier this month, also told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I remain a strong backer of the prime minister. I’ve been very disappointed to see the soundings off. I think they need to stop and I think people need to get behind her.” | Justine Greening, who May sacked as education secretary earlier this month, also told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I remain a strong backer of the prime minister. I’ve been very disappointed to see the soundings off. I think they need to stop and I think people need to get behind her.” |
| No 10 refused to discuss the outcome of the Brexit sub-committee on Monday: her spokesman said he would “not get into what is or isn’t discussed”. He defended the government’s stance on Brexit negotiations against criticism that it lacks clarity. | No 10 refused to discuss the outcome of the Brexit sub-committee on Monday: her spokesman said he would “not get into what is or isn’t discussed”. He defended the government’s stance on Brexit negotiations against criticism that it lacks clarity. |
| “We are about to enter into a negotiation with the European Union on the end state and achieving that partnership the prime minister believes will be in the interests of the UK and the EU, so it will of course be clear what the UK is seeking to achieve,” the spokesman said. | “We are about to enter into a negotiation with the European Union on the end state and achieving that partnership the prime minister believes will be in the interests of the UK and the EU, so it will of course be clear what the UK is seeking to achieve,” the spokesman said. |
| Downing Street also admitted there was “some distance” between what the UK wants for the Brexit transition and what the EU wants. | Downing Street also admitted there was “some distance” between what the UK wants for the Brexit transition and what the EU wants. |
| Theresa May | Theresa May |
| Conservative leadership | Conservative leadership |
| Conservatives | Conservatives |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| Foreign policy | Foreign policy |
| Justine Greening | Justine Greening |
| news | news |
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