Tories to press on with Universal Credit roll-out
Senior ally of Mrs May claims there is no conflict and that Foreign Secretary will not be sacked
MINISTERS will today face down Tory rebels and announce that they will push ahead with the continued roll-out of Universal Credit.
David Gauke, the Work and Pensions Secretary, is expected to assure rebels that claimants will not lose out, despite warnings by 12 Tory MPS.
Theresa May is determined to ensure that domestic announcements are at the heart of this year’s annual conference in Manchester in the wake of damaging splits over Brexit.
Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, will today unveil £400 million worth of investment in new road and rail schemes in a “major boost” for the Northern Powerhouse.
He will use his speech to warn that the Conservatives must not be afraid to defend free markets in the wake of a “renewed assault” by Jeremy Corbyn and Labour.
Meanwhile, Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Tory leader, yesterday gave a rousing speech in which she said that Tories must burst the “Corbyn bubble” in the same way that she helped send the SNP and Nicola Sturgeon “crashing down to earth”.
Last night Mrs May conceded that Mr Corbyn had “changed the political consensus”. She told a fringe event: “Free market economies, the importance of fiscal prudence, wealth creation. We thought there was a political consensus.
“Jeremy Corbyn has changed that. It’s our job to go out and make those arguments all over again.”
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s allies accused Boris Johnson of “posturing” and said that his Brexit red lines were “straw man” arguments designed to boost his profile. Damian Green, the First Secretary and Mrs May’s effective deputy, publicly rebuked Mr Johnson for airing his views.
Mr Johnson last night hit back at the criticism, telling The Daily Telegraph that it was “extraordinary that so much of a fuss” is being made about his intervention.
The accelerated roll-out of Universal Credit from five to 50 job centres a month will be announced by Mr Gauke today. Tory MPS have raised concerns that claimants lose out when they switch to Universal Credit, which combines six benefits into one, because there is a six-week delay as they change over. But speaking at a fringe event yesterday, Mr Gauke said a system of advance payments was already in place to help those struggling when they moved over.
He said: “The reality with advance payments is that if you want one, you can get it practically straight away so there is no limit that you have to wait two weeks before you get an advance payment.”
He added: “In the most extreme cases if someone says, ‘I am literally down to my last few pounds’ it is possible to do a same-day bank transfer so they get it on the day.”
Mrs May signalled the reforms will continue to be implemented, telling The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One: “We need to roll out Universal Credit.”
It comes as Mr Hammond announces that £300 million will be spent on creating connections between the high-speed rail route and cities not directly on it.
Addressing the threat of the Labour Party, he will say: “While no one suggests a market economy is perfect, it is the best system yet designed for making people steadily better off over time and underpinning strong and sustainable public services for everyone.”
THERESA MAY’S allies have accused Boris Johnson of “posturing”, and said that his Brexit “red lines” are “straw man” arguments designed to boost his profile.
The Prime Minister yesterday refused to deny suggestions that the Foreign Secretary is “unsackable” after he set out four new demands for Brexit at the weekend.
Mr Johnson last night hit back at the criticism, telling The Daily Telegraph that it is “extraordinary that so much of a fuss” is being made about his intervention.
It came as a senior ally of Mrs May insisted that Mr Johnson’s Brexit red lines are in fact similar to the Prime Minister’s approach to Brexit.
The ally said: “It’s all eminently doable, this is just straw man posturing from Boris to raise his profile. There’s no conflict here, that’s why she won’t be sacking him.” However, other min- isters said that Mr Johnson’s intervention had directly undermined the Prime Minister’s authority.
One said: “His red lines are insubordinate and undeliverable. He is trying to undermine her.”
Mrs May yesterday sidestepped the question of whether Johnson was “unsackable” in a broadcast interview marking the start of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester.
She told The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One that he was “absolutely behind” her plan for Brexit.
She said: “What I have is a Cabinet that are united in the mission of this Government, and that is what you will see this week.”
In his article the Foreign Secretary said a transition period after Brexit should last “not a second more” than two years and warned that the UK must not accept European rulings during that time.
Damian Green, the Prime Minister’s right-hand man, yesterday rebuked Mr Johnson for his intervention.
He said: “I am happy to make a general point that it is understandable that any group of politicians faced with a big issue will have a range of views.
“It is extremely sensible when you are in government to express those views in private rather than public.
“It’s advice for everyone. It’s advice for all my colleagues at all times.
“That if you feel strongly about something then make your pitch in private. And then, when the government has come to a collective decision, stick to it.”
Mr Johnson was also criticised by David Mundell, the Scottish Secretary, who suggested that the Foreign Secretary would be unable to win young voters. He highlighted the fact that Mr Johnson once stood as a candidate to become rector of Edinburgh University but lost.
The Foreign Secretary, asked about the suggestion that he should have kept his “red lines” private, told The Daily Telegraph: “I think actually if you studied what I said, it was basically government policy. I think it’s extraordinary that so much fuss has been made about repeating government policy, but there you go.”
The Prime Minister yesterday insisted that it had not been a mistake to call the snap election that lost the Tories
‘If you feel strongly about something then make your pitch in private’
their majority in the Commons, issuing only a qualified apology for the bungled campaign.
She said: “I am sorry that some very good Members of Parliament lost their seats.”
But Mrs May denied calling the poll had been a mistake, telling Marr: “Is it ever a mistake to give people the opportunity to vote? I don’t think so.”
Last night Michael Gove, the Envi-
‘I am sorry that some very good Members of Parliament lost their seats’
ronment Secretary who betrayed Mr Johnson during the Tory leadership contest, gave his support to the Foreign Secretary.
He said that Mr Johnson had been “speaking from the heart” and feels “deeply and passionately” about Brexit. He added that those who claimed his motives were personal were “barking up the wrong tree”.