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David Cameron may have opened door to leadership challenges, Tories warn David Cameron may have opened door to leadership challenges, Tories warn
(about 3 hours later)
David Cameron has been warned by colleagues that he will face an even greater threat to his premiership if the election results in a hung parliament, as a consequence of his surprise announcement that he would not seek to serve a third term.David Cameron has been warned by colleagues that he will face an even greater threat to his premiership if the election results in a hung parliament, as a consequence of his surprise announcement that he would not seek to serve a third term.
Senior Tory MPs said Cameron had opened up a gap that his opponents within the Conservative party will seek to prise open if there is an uncertain election result on 8 May, as the polls currently predict. As the prime minister was heckled by pensioners at an Age UK conference, senior Tory MPs said Cameron had opened up a gap that his opponents within the Conservative party would seek to widen if there is an uncertain election result on 8 May. Polls currently predict a hung parliament.
Earlier in the day, the prime minister said he had given a “very straight answer to a very straight question” from the BBC about his future at an Age UK conference where he had been heckled when he defended the right of NHS nurses to seek agency work. He was also subjected to mock laughter at the pensioners’ conference as he sought to explain his conversation with the BBC’s deputy political editor, James Landale, filmed largely in his kitchen. He said: “I think people will understand there that saying you want to serve a full second term, a full five years, is a very reasonable, sensible thing to say. That is what I did say.”
Friends of Cameron said he had inadvertently outlined his private thoughts on two fronts in an unusually frank interview with the BBC deputy political editor, James Landale. Friends of Cameron said he had inadvertently outlined his private thoughts on two fronts in the unusually frank interview. They said he had made clear that he would like to stand down as prime minister at the end of the next parliament, assuming he is able to remain at No 10 after the election on 7 May.
The audience resorted to mock laughter as he recounted their conversation in his Oxfordshire constituency. He said: “I think people will understand there – that saying you want to serve a full second term, a full five years, is a very reasonable, sensible thing to say. That is what I did say.” The prime minister was also accused of “plugging” the leadership interests of his close ally, George Osborne. The chancellor was named by the prime minister, alongside Boris Johnson and Theresa May, as his most likely successor.
They said he had made clear that he would like to stand down as prime minister at the end of the next parliament, assuming he is able to remain at No 10 after the election on 7 May.
In the second place, the prime minister was said to be “plugging” the leadership interests of his close ally George Osborne. The chancellor was named by the prime minister, alongside Boris Johnson and Theresa May, as his most likely successor.
Cameron’s vivid choice of language in his BBC interview, in which he suggested that two Shredded Wheats were better than three as a way of illustrating that he would stand down after two terms, showed that he had given a great deal of thinking to his plans, according to allies.Cameron’s vivid choice of language in his BBC interview, in which he suggested that two Shredded Wheats were better than three as a way of illustrating that he would stand down after two terms, showed that he had given a great deal of thinking to his plans, according to allies.
One senior Tory said: “I think David was expressing in a clumsy way what he thinks. He meant to say I will serve a full second term – beyond that it is not right to say because the electorate will decide.” One senior Tory said: “I think David was expressing in a clumsy way what he thinks. He meant to say, ‘I will serve a full second term’ – beyond that it is not right to say, because the electorate will decide.”
Tory MPs contacted by the Guardian thought that the prime minister’s remarks would be largely forgotten by the time election campaigning is fully under way, after parliament is dissolved on 30 March. But they warned that the remarks could come back to haunt Cameron if the Tories fail to secure a clear lead over Labour as voters again deliver a hung parliament. Tory MPs contacted by the Guardian thought the prime minister’s remarks would be largely forgotten by the time election campaigning is fully under way, after parliament is dissolved on 30 March. But they warned that the remarks could come back to haunt Cameron if voters again deliver a hung parliament.
Conservative MPs are holding what are described as a series of “what if” conversations over drinks and canapes at leaving parties for MPs standing down at the election. The what if refers to conversations in which MPs discuss the scenarios that could play out if Cameron stumbles in the election.Conservative MPs are holding what are described as a series of “what if” conversations over drinks and canapes at leaving parties for MPs standing down at the election. The what if refers to conversations in which MPs discuss the scenarios that could play out if Cameron stumbles in the election.
The Guardian reported last week that loyalists believe two “bloody officers” of the 1922 committee are hoping to unseat the prime minister immediately after the election. This has prompted Cameron’s supporters to form a “praetorian guard”, whose members will take to the airwaves in support of him on the weekend after the election.The Guardian reported last week that loyalists believe two “bloody officers” of the 1922 committee are hoping to unseat the prime minister immediately after the election. This has prompted Cameron’s supporters to form a “praetorian guard”, whose members will take to the airwaves in support of him on the weekend after the election.
Senior MPs said that unofficial whips attached to the possible undeclared leadership campaigns are following the example of government whips in asking for email details of Tory MPs during the campaign. The parliamentary email accounts of MPs will close down with the dissolution of parliament when MPs standing again simply become candidates.Senior MPs said that unofficial whips attached to the possible undeclared leadership campaigns are following the example of government whips in asking for email details of Tory MPs during the campaign. The parliamentary email accounts of MPs will close down with the dissolution of parliament when MPs standing again simply become candidates.
One Tory said: “This prime minister’s remarks will probably be forgotten in a week’s time just as the budget is now largely forgotten. But they may not be forgotten in two months’ time. One Tory said: “This prime minister’s remarks will probably be forgotten in a week’s time, just as the budget is now largely forgotten. But they may not be forgotten in two months’ time. If the prime minister is in a difficult position on 8 May after an uncertain result, then he has just ensured that his position will be that little bit less certain. It is like a small chink in the wall. You can just about spot the chink. It could eventually blow open.”
“If the prime minister is in a difficult position on 8 May after an uncertain result, then he has just ensured that his position will be that little bit less certain. It is like a small chink in the wall. You can just about spot the chink. It could eventually blow open.”
The speculation about the prime minister’s future came after Cameron addressed the claim that he was behaving arrogantly by suggesting he would like to remain as prime minister until 2020 before voters have had a chance to cast their ballot.The speculation about the prime minister’s future came after Cameron addressed the claim that he was behaving arrogantly by suggesting he would like to remain as prime minister until 2020 before voters have had a chance to cast their ballot.
Speaking at the Age UK conference in Westminster, he said: “I am taking absolutely nothing for granted. My entire focus is on the next 44 days and the general election that will decide which team runs this country for the next five years. I want that to be me and my team. But the alternative is Ed Miliband and his team.”Speaking at the Age UK conference in Westminster, he said: “I am taking absolutely nothing for granted. My entire focus is on the next 44 days and the general election that will decide which team runs this country for the next five years. I want that to be me and my team. But the alternative is Ed Miliband and his team.”
Douglas Alexander, the chair of Labour’s general election strategy, said the prime minister had undermined one of the central elements of the Tory campaign. In a Guardian article, he wrote: “For a party that has campaigned on its leader’s competence, his stated intention that he would stand down – if he were to win a far from certain second term – could cause chaos within the Conservative party.”Douglas Alexander, the chair of Labour’s general election strategy, said the prime minister had undermined one of the central elements of the Tory campaign. In a Guardian article, he wrote: “For a party that has campaigned on its leader’s competence, his stated intention that he would stand down – if he were to win a far from certain second term – could cause chaos within the Conservative party.”