Post by Focus on Mar 12, 2013 22:23:28 GMT
Theresa May's attempts to position herself to succeed David Cameron have been slapped down by her Cabinet colleagues and backbench MPs, it has emerged...
The Home secretary is understood to have been the subject of criticism at Tuesday morning's meeting of the Tories' political Cabinet, when Education secretary Michael Gove called on colleagues to stop burnishing their "leadership credentials".
That came hours before David Cameron was told to “control his Cabinet” by some of his own MPs after he appealed for unity in the long run-in to the next general election.
Home Secretary, Theresa May
Party chiefs had hoped that the monthly meeting of the parliamentary party, which was addressed by the Prime Minister, would focus minds and stop the backbiting from backbench Tory MPs after the Eastleigh by-election.
The MPs were told by the party’s election strategist Lynton Crosby they had to decide if they were “commentators or participants” as the party tries to win an outright majority in 2015.
However after the appeal for more unity, three MPs stood up to ask that the rules also applied to Cabinet ministers. One MP said: “You can’t lecture us on discipline without controlling the Cabinet.”
Senior Downing Street sources were putting a brave face on the meeting after the meeting. One said: “There were lots of people saying very positive things and cheers and applause when people intervened.
“People in marginal seats were saying things like ‘please support the Prime Minister’ – there were lots of cheers and applause at those moments.”
The MPs were also briefed on 10 easy to remember achievements of the Coalition, which are likely to be given out on handy “cue cards” at the party’s spring forum.
They included Coalition achievements such as cutting the deficit by a quarter, reducing immigration by a third, a promise of an in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union and 27.7million people now in work.
One source said MPs had to remind people that at the next election the UK would be left with an Ed Miliband premiership or a Government led by Mr Cameron, and that Britain had to stay ahead in “what is a global race” -- Oh Plleeezzeee, I mean Ffs!! - Fx
The Home secretary is understood to have been the subject of criticism at Tuesday morning's meeting of the Tories' political Cabinet, when Education secretary Michael Gove called on colleagues to stop burnishing their "leadership credentials".
That came hours before David Cameron was told to “control his Cabinet” by some of his own MPs after he appealed for unity in the long run-in to the next general election.
Home Secretary, Theresa May
Party chiefs had hoped that the monthly meeting of the parliamentary party, which was addressed by the Prime Minister, would focus minds and stop the backbiting from backbench Tory MPs after the Eastleigh by-election.
The MPs were told by the party’s election strategist Lynton Crosby they had to decide if they were “commentators or participants” as the party tries to win an outright majority in 2015.
However after the appeal for more unity, three MPs stood up to ask that the rules also applied to Cabinet ministers. One MP said: “You can’t lecture us on discipline without controlling the Cabinet.”
Senior Downing Street sources were putting a brave face on the meeting after the meeting. One said: “There were lots of people saying very positive things and cheers and applause when people intervened.
“People in marginal seats were saying things like ‘please support the Prime Minister’ – there were lots of cheers and applause at those moments.”
The MPs were also briefed on 10 easy to remember achievements of the Coalition, which are likely to be given out on handy “cue cards” at the party’s spring forum.
They included Coalition achievements such as cutting the deficit by a quarter, reducing immigration by a third, a promise of an in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union and 27.7million people now in work.
One source said MPs had to remind people that at the next election the UK would be left with an Ed Miliband premiership or a Government led by Mr Cameron, and that Britain had to stay ahead in “what is a global race” -- Oh Plleeezzeee, I mean Ffs!! - Fx
