Fresh calls for May to go in wake of speech
THE CONSERVATIVE Party has once again found itself on the brink of turmoil after Theresa May’s incident-strewn speech to conference led to fresh calls for her resignation.
Opponents of the Prime Minster are reported to have the support of up to 30 MPs who are planning to confront their leader and demands she stands down.
The move follows Mrs May’s beleaguered address to conference, which saw a crucial opportunity to renew her premiership undermined by heckling and a bad throat.
Allies yesterday continued to defend their embattled leader, but others warned it would become “increasingly difficult” for her to continue in Number 10.
The former culture secretary Ed Vaizey was the first MP to publicly admit that it was time for the Prime Minister to go. Speaking to the BBC, he said there were “quite a few people who will now be pretty firmly of the view that she should resign”.
“The Tory Party conference was a great opportunity to reboot the party and therefore reboot the country to give it a clear sense of direction, and that didn’t happen,” he said. “So yes, I am concerned. I am finding it increasingly difficult to see a way forward at the moment, and it worries me.”
According to The Telegraph, Tory rebels believe they have the support of up to 30 MPs to approach Mrs May and demand her resignation. The future of party Chairman Patrick McLoughlin has also been called into question over the security breach that allowed comedian Lee Nelson to approach the main conference stage.
But other MPs have criticised what is being seen as an attempt to bypass official party rules for triggering a leadership contest. The MP for The Wrekin, Mark Pritchard, said: “Trying to... circumvent this process is irregular, cowardly and will fail.” Comment: Page 12.