Pressure on May

Public and political perspectives

AS THE fallout from Theresa May’s party conference speech shows little sign of abating, it’s important to put the political and public reaction in perspective.

It’s not Mrs May’s fault that she not only had to contend with a terrible cough, but a prankster who got within touching distance of the Prime Minister in a shocking security breach, and a stage that began to fall apart.

Her party, patently unprepared for June’s election, have many questions to answer and it is surprising that party chairman Sir Patrick McLoughlin has not tendered his resignation as the Tories recruit a new digital director to take the fight to Jeremy Corbyn’s keyboard warriors. Many have stepped down for less.

Yet, while some of Mrs May’s critics, both in the Tory party and mainstream media, won’t settle until she has been forced from office, they would have been merciless if the PM had left the podium to compose herself (and which she would have been within her rights to do).

However the public, including many who are opposed to Conservative policies, have taken a more sympathetic approach. They admire the Prime Minister’s composure and now want their leaders to get on with the job of delivering Brexit and transforming the economic prospects of all sections of society.

Mrs May’s speech made an important contribution on housing. She also signalled a determination to tackle big business by revising a manifesto policy to cap energy prices. The debate should be on the merit of these proposals and other policies. That’s what the public should have every right to expect.