Tories lay into May over election humiliation

TORY MPs and defeated candidates have laid into Theresa May and her policies as part of an internal review of the party’s election humiliation in June.

The review is being carried out by former Cabinet minister Sir Eric Pickles and backbench chief Graham Brady, and will be discussed at October’s party conference.

Sir Eric is understood to have received complaints that the Tories lacked a convincing political narrative, meaning candidates could not argue effectively against Labour’s popular manifesto.

Mrs May’s policies on social care and foxhunting proved particularly unpopular, the review has been told. The review has also heard Tory HQ ignored early warning signs from MPs in the South of England that they were being outgunned by Labour for the first time in years. It meant over-confidence about the result left marginal constituencies exposed.

Meanwhile, senior Downing Street advisers have apparently been touring Westminster think-tanks scouting for ideas to appeal to younger voters.