A ‘divisive’ Osborne could scupper May’s unity quest
IT IS the moment Theresa May aims to reboot her premiership after endless leadership speculation over the summer. But the Prime Minister’s unity drive at Tory conference could be scuppered by the presence of her great political rival – George Osborne.
The former chancellor, who she sacked within hours of entering No10, has been granted a pass for the gathering in October, it can be revealed.
Tory HQ sources confirmed that Mr Osborne, who is now the editor of the Evening Standard after quitting politics, will be attending through his media role.
The news triggered fears that he could go public with criticisms of the Prime Minister by speaking at fringe events – undermining a Downing Street drive to heal internal rifts.
A Tory MP said: “We need a show of unity at this conference. Osborne could be a divisive presence, opening up dividing lines that we’re trying to close.
“He will know his own presence will attract a lot of attention, both from the media and party activists.”
The Evening Standard has penned a series of stinging editorials about Mrs May’s election campaign after he took over the helm early this year.
One editorial said the recent Tory election campaign had “meandered from an abortive attempt to launch a personality cult around Mrs May to the self-inflicted wound of the most disastrous manifesto in recent history”.
Mr Osborne also used an interview during the election with BBC Radio 4 to call Mrs May’s social care proposals “badly thought through”.
It is not known whether the pair plan to meet during the conference. There are wider concerns that the conference could also be hijacked by ministers attempting to show off their leadership credentials to members.
Some of the 2010 and 2015 intake of Tory MPs want Mrs May’s eventual replacement as leader to be from among their generation to freshen the party’s image.