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| Senior Tories to warn No 10 of declining confidence in David Cameron | Senior Tories to warn No 10 of declining confidence in David Cameron |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Downing Street is to be warned by senior Tories that a sea change is under way in the parliamentary party as growing numbers of MPs decide that David Cameron is becoming a liability. | Downing Street is to be warned by senior Tories that a sea change is under way in the parliamentary party as growing numbers of MPs decide that David Cameron is becoming a liability. |
| As the prime minister tried to reach out to Tory members, by saying that he would never employ people who sneer at grassroots activists, senior figures indicated that the chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 committee, Graham Brady, was expected to receive further letters calling for a confidence vote. Brady, who is understood to have been sent a limited number in recent months, will have to call a vote if he receives at least 46. | |
| One senior figure said: "This is worse than John Major. There was quite a lot of sympathy for him because of the Maastricht rebels. He also listened, though he probably listened too much. With Cameron it feels like this could be terminal – and will be so before the election." | One senior figure said: "This is worse than John Major. There was quite a lot of sympathy for him because of the Maastricht rebels. He also listened, though he probably listened too much. With Cameron it feels like this could be terminal – and will be so before the election." |
| The unease about the prime minister was expressed as Lord Feldman, the co-chairman of the Conservative party, fought off an attempt to hold an inquiry into allegations that he described Tory party activists as "mad swivel-eyed loons". Brian Binley, the Tory MP for Northampton South, agreed to withdraw his call for an inquiry at a meeting of the party board after Feldman won overwhelming backing from the meeting and the leadership agreed to "close the gap between the leadership and grassroots". Feldman categorically denies making the remarks which were reported, though not attributed to him, in the Times and the Daily Telegraph on Saturday. | |
| Within hours of the meeting, Cameron sent a "personal note" to all Tory members in which he spoke of a "companionship underpinned by what we believe". The prime minister wrote: "I am proud to lead this party. I am proud of what you do. And I would never have around me those who sneered or thought otherwise. We are a team, from the parish council to the local association to parliament, and I never forget it...There will always be criticism from the sidelines. But we must remember what this party has always been about: acting in the national interest." | |
| Binley said he accepted the view of the board but said he was pleased that it had agreed to work hard to close the gap between the leadership and the grassroots. "The issue was fully discussed by the board and complete confidence was voiced in the chairman Andrew Feldman. I did propose an investigation into the insulting words, reported to have been used, was undertaken. But that was overwhelmingly rejected. | Binley said he accepted the view of the board but said he was pleased that it had agreed to work hard to close the gap between the leadership and the grassroots. "The issue was fully discussed by the board and complete confidence was voiced in the chairman Andrew Feldman. I did propose an investigation into the insulting words, reported to have been used, was undertaken. But that was overwhelmingly rejected. |
| "However, it was agreed that there was a need to narrow the gap between the party and the country and the leadership. It was said that a programme was already in hand to set that into being." | "However, it was agreed that there was a need to narrow the gap between the party and the country and the leadership. It was said that a programme was already in hand to set that into being." |
| One member of the board said Feldman had won the day because of concerns that the Times and the Daily Telegraph had refused to name the person who allegedly made the disparaging remarks. The Tory said: "I think people don't understand how popular Andrew Feldman is. He works really hard with the party. He is very assiduous and is greatly admired." | One member of the board said Feldman had won the day because of concerns that the Times and the Daily Telegraph had refused to name the person who allegedly made the disparaging remarks. The Tory said: "I think people don't understand how popular Andrew Feldman is. He works really hard with the party. He is very assiduous and is greatly admired." |
| But other Tories said the allegation that a senior Conservative had described activists as "swivel-eyed" marked a significant moment even though Feldman said it was "completely untrue" to suggest he made the remarks. The MP said: "It doesn't matter whether he said it or not. The fact is it reinforces the view of the party leadership." | But other Tories said the allegation that a senior Conservative had described activists as "swivel-eyed" marked a significant moment even though Feldman said it was "completely untrue" to suggest he made the remarks. The MP said: "It doesn't matter whether he said it or not. The fact is it reinforces the view of the party leadership." |
| The MP said it was difficult to see how Cameron could turn around his fortunes after a series of setbacks, not helped when he appointed two more Etonians to his inner circle. "What is Cameron going to do? Rescind the Etonian hirings, say I am not a snob? Of course not. This feels terminal. I can't predict how it will happen but it feels like we are nearing the end." | The MP said it was difficult to see how Cameron could turn around his fortunes after a series of setbacks, not helped when he appointed two more Etonians to his inner circle. "What is Cameron going to do? Rescind the Etonian hirings, say I am not a snob? Of course not. This feels terminal. I can't predict how it will happen but it feels like we are nearing the end." |
| Tories say the atmosphere in the parliamentary party has changed over the past week after a consensus had been formed around Easter that the prime minister was secure at least until next year's European parliamentary elections, which Ukip is expected to win. The successful budget and the prime minister's widely praised handling of the death of Lady Thatcher prompted opponents to back down. | Tories say the atmosphere in the parliamentary party has changed over the past week after a consensus had been formed around Easter that the prime minister was secure at least until next year's European parliamentary elections, which Ukip is expected to win. The successful budget and the prime minister's widely praised handling of the death of Lady Thatcher prompted opponents to back down. |
| But senior figures are saying Cameron's handling of the EU referendum vote, in which he conceded that a bill should be passed in this parliament after initially saying this was unnecessary, had weakened him even in the eyes of Eurosceptics. The vote on gay marriage, in which Cameron was forced to negotiate with Labour to protect a bill which is widely despised in the party, had done little to help matters. | But senior figures are saying Cameron's handling of the EU referendum vote, in which he conceded that a bill should be passed in this parliament after initially saying this was unnecessary, had weakened him even in the eyes of Eurosceptics. The vote on gay marriage, in which Cameron was forced to negotiate with Labour to protect a bill which is widely despised in the party, had done little to help matters. |
| One MP said: "People felt that things were moving in the right way and we had got the initiative. But we keep mucking up. It is all mucking it up from an elitist perspective. | One MP said: "People felt that things were moving in the right way and we had got the initiative. But we keep mucking up. It is all mucking it up from an elitist perspective. |
| "Trying to be all things to all men doesn't work. This culture of 'we know better than you' is unacceptable." | "Trying to be all things to all men doesn't work. This culture of 'we know better than you' is unacceptable." |
| Others talk of how the "tectonic plates" – the famous phrase used by John Prescott to signal the end of the Blair era – are shifting. "Certainly the tremors are reverberating," one MP said. | Others talk of how the "tectonic plates" – the famous phrase used by John Prescott to signal the end of the Blair era – are shifting. "Certainly the tremors are reverberating," one MP said. |