May’s top aides leave over election fail – and replaced by losing MP

THERESA May yesterday postponed a Cabinet reshuffle to launch a bloodbath inside No10 – as 59 per cent of Tory party members said she should quit.

Her two top aides Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill quit to avoid a leadership challenge and former minister Gavin Barwell – who lost his seat on Thursday – was appointed as her new chief of staff.

Cabinet ministers will have to wait until 10am today to hear their own fates. Mr Timothy and Ms Hill are widely blamed for the disastrous General Election manifesto which left the Tories stitching together a weak and wobbly minority government.

Mr Timothy said yesterday: “I take responsibility for the content of the whole manifesto.”

He was accused of inserting the elderly care package which derailed the campaign when Mrs May was forced into a humiliating U-turn.

DISAGREEMENTS

Shortly before the pair left, one of the PM’s former aides, Katie Perrior, claimed they had forced her out and accused them of creating a “toxic” atmosphere in No10. Ms Perrior, who left when the election was called, yesterday accused Ms Hill of coming up with “crazy” ideas rarely overruled by the PM.

And she added of both outgoing chiefs of staff: “They would send people rude texts which is not acceptable. What the PM needs at a time that you’re going through Brexit is diplomats not street-fighters.”

Top Tories made it clear both Mr Timothy and Ms Hill had to go so the PM’s leadership style could change.

But most party faithful are keen to see Mrs May quit, according to a poll on the Conservative Home website.

Editor Paul Goodman said the survey of 1,500 Conservative Party members was “astonishing”.

He said: “It’s the most damning finding in one of our polls that I can remember. Two in three of her own members, according to this survey, believe that a Conservative leader should resign. That’s astonishing.”