THERESA TEARS UP MANIFESTO

May axes key pledges as price of Cabinet support Gove in dramatic return Boris says leadership talk ‘tripe’ But PM faces showdown with backbenchers today

THERESA May tore up the controversial Tory manifesto last night as the price for Cabinet support for her leadership.

Plans to scrap the triple lock on pensions, means-test the winter fuel allowance and repeal the foxhunting ban are set to be ditched in a ‘ slimmed- down’ Queen’s Speech next week.

Mrs May’s dream of creating a new generation of grammar schools is also set to be shelved. Instead, the Queen’s Speech will focus mainly on a narrow agenda of Brexit and combating terrorism and extremism.

The embattled Prime Minister indicated that legislation on mental health, housing and the introduction of new technical qualifications will be included, but the controversial social care policies dubbed the ‘dementia tax’ are expected to be heavily watered down.

As Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson described reports that he was plotting a leadership coup as ‘tripe’, Mrs May

also agreed to open up decision-making to the cabinet and the wider party. And she sacrificed her joint chiefs- of- staff nick timothy and Fiona Hill, who were blamed for helping oversee the election strategy that saw the tories throw away their commons majority.

One insider said the Prime Minister was now a ‘prisoner of her cabinet’.

After extracting the concessions, ministers rallied round Mrs May, and MPs stepped back from an immediate bid to oust her, fearing that a round of tory blood-letting could wreck Brexit and hand the keys of no 10 to Jeremy corbyn. On another dramatic day in Westminster:

Michael Gove made a dramatic return to the cabinet a year after being sacked as Mrs May tried to convince eurosceptic MPs she will not go soft on Brexit;

the Prime Minister prepared for a showdown with tory backbenchers tonight at which she is expected to face fierce criticism over her election tactics;

Former chancellor George Osborne led calls by pro-eU tories for Mrs May to go, saying she was a ‘dead woman walking’;

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell indicated labour would back the tories on leaving the eU’s single market;

Mrs May appointed her friend Damian Green as First Secretary of State, effectively making the pro-remain minister her Deputy Prime Minister;

the Prime Minister prepared for crunch talks tomorrow with DUP leader Arlene Foster in a bid to secure a partnership that will give her a commons majority.

tory grandee Bernard Jenkin yesterday told Mrs May’s remainer critics to ‘shut up’ – warning the Government could collapse if she is brought down.

Mr Jenkin said calls for Mrs May to go were being whipped up by pro-eU tories who believed they could stop Brexit by bringing her down.

He added: ‘People like lord Heseltine and George Osborne who are really rock- ing the boat should shut up. the big priority is to keep Jeremy corbyn out of Downing Street.’

However, Mrs May refused to directly confirm that she intended to try to serve a full term, saying only: ‘i said during the election campaign that if re- elected, i would intend to serve a full term. But what i’m doing now is actually getting on with the immediate job.’

Mrs May, who will hold terror talks with new French president emmanuel Macron in Paris tomorrow, had planned a major cabinet clear-out, but was forced to scale it back after the election result damaged her authority. Most ministers stayed in their jobs, with the return of Mr Gove and the promotion of Mr Green the only eye-catching changes.

Allies of Mr Johnson sounded out MPs about a potential leadership challenge after last week’s catastrophic result. Five cabinet ministers are reported to have offered him their backing. But the Foreign Secretary pulled back after friends warned him he could end up being blamed for plunging the Government into further turmoil.

Mr Johnson said the public were sick of elections, adding: ‘i think they have had enough of this stuff, i think what they want is for the politicians to get on, deliver Brexit and deliver on their priorities, and theresa May is by far the best person, she is the best-placed person, to deliver that.’

‘The public have had enough of elections’