Shapps: Cabinet member backed the coup
Former Tory chairman named as leader of revolt against PM says leadership issue will not go away
A CABINET minister encouraged a plot by up to 30 Tory MPS to oust Theresa May by the end of the year, a former Conservative Party chairman has claimed.
Grant Shapps was named by Government whips as the leader of a group that wants to pressure the Prime Minister into resigning after her disastrous election performance.
Tory MPS yesterday lined up to criticise Mr Shapps, telling him that he should “shut up” and saying that his “botched” coup was doomed to failure.
Mr Shapps accused Tory MPS of “burying their heads in the sand” and told The Daily Telegraph that the revolt over Mrs May’s leadership “will not go away”.
He said that the group had been backed by a Cabinet minister in the month after the general election who wants the Prime Minister to step aside. One leading member of the group wants Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, to leave the Government in a bid to trigger Theresa May’s resignation.
Mr Johnson yesterday reportedly posted a message of support for the Prime Minister on a Whatsapp group used by Conservative MPS.
Mr Shapps said: “I know some colleagues will rally around – this is not going to go away. It’s wishful thinking. There are a significant number of MPS with concerns about the Prime Minister who think it’s time for her to go.
“It might not be now, it could be in a year, but the party needs to be honest with itself about it.” Cabinet ministers including Michael Gove, the Environment Secretary, and Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, yesterday rallied round Mrs May after Mr Shapps was named. David Cameron, the former Prime Minister, also took the extraordinary step of calling Mrs May earlier this week and offering her his “full support”.
Tory plotters publicly demanded the resignation of the Prime Minister after her disastrous conference speech. In a bid to end the plot Tory whips briefed that Mr Shapps was leading the group, forcing him to go public with his criticism of the Prime Minister.
The revelation led to furious Tory infighting, with Mr Shapps suggesting that ministers are only backing the Prime Minister because they are paid to do so as members of the Government.
He also claimed that Robbie Gibb, Theresa May’s director of communications, was aware of the plot and told him that “no one should be criticised for having different views”.
Charles Walker, the secretary of the 1922 committee of backbench MPS, told The Spectator that the rebels are “f-----a--------”. He said: “Let’s have an election in the next few weeks if they want it and get Jeremy Corbyn in. The party is populated by some crashing bores who have nothing better going on in their lives and it’s really showing now.”
Nigel Evans, another Tory MP who sits on the executive, said: “It’s a complete over-reaction by Grant. He’s had his go and the bandwagon he tried to push over the Prime Minister is now rolling over him.”
Nadine Dorries, a Eursoceptic Tory MP, claimed that the plot was being orchestrated by Remain MPS who want to undermine Theresa May and Brexit.
She named Nicky Morgan, the former education secretary, and Anna Soubry, a former business minister. The rebels believe that Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, has already received 20 letters of no confidence in Mrs May. A total of 48 is needed to trigger a leadership contest.