The Home Secretary, pictured at conference this week, spoke out today as infighting reached fever pitch in the wake of Mrs May’s dire showing in Manchester
Amber Rudd appealed for an end to the Tory civil war today – warning Britain was at a ‘turning point’ and Theresa May was the right person to be in charge.
The Home Secretary spoke out as infighting reached fever pitch in the wake of Mrs May’s dire conference in Manchester, which culminated in her speech being wrecked by a prankster, sore throat and collapsing set.
Former chairman Grant Shapps has been unmasked as the ringleader of a concerted plot to oust Mrs May.
He said this morning that ‘one or two’ members of the PM’s own team privately wanted her to go – as he revealed around 30 Tory MPs have signed up to his call for a change at the top.
But the ex-minister admitted the mutiny was still well short of the 48 names needed to force a leadership contest, and he faced ridicule from loyalists who accused him of being ’embittered’ and speaking for ‘no-one’.
One backbencher raged that he would not ‘buy a used car’ from Mr Shapps.
Ms Rudd, who is thought to harbour leadership ambitions of her own, called on the party to look at the policies set out at the Tory conference instead of the ‘presentation fails’.
In an article for The Daily Telegraph, she said: ‘We, Theresa May’s Government, want to … set out a better path, one that actually leads to a prosperous, secure and united country.
‘We can do that, and we will under her leadership. She should stay.
‘Do not doubt that the Prime Minister’s absolute commitment to tackling the injustices is a real one. And as the Prime Minister also said this week, we are at a turning point for the nation.
‘Trust that it is us who will take Britain in the right direction.’
After rumours of a plot swirled yesterday, Tory whips took the decision to expose Mr Shapps’ as the ringleader. Supporters of Mrs May hope the move will rob the coup attempt of momentum.
Mr Shapps took to the airwaves today after he was unmasked, insisting: ‘The writing is on the wall for May. We can’t just carry on. I think having lost an election the party must look for a new leader to take us forward.’
He insisted: ‘One or two Cabinet members privately agree’.
The rebel said he had been ‘quietly’ compiling a list and wanted to take it to No 10 with five former cabinet colleagues to urge her to resign without ’embarrassment’.
He also admitted he had ‘preferences’ for a new Tory leader but would not name names.
But senior MPs derided Mr Shapps, with the vice chair of the powerful 1922 committee, Charles Walker, saying: ‘No10 must be delighted to learn that it’s Grant Shapps leading this alleged coup.’
Nadine Dorries said the mutiny was being orchestrated by Remainers who wanted to derail Brexit and stop Boris Johnson winning the leadership.
‘The plot is by remain MPs to topple the PM, destroy Boris and put a remain leader in place to delay and possibly destroy #Brexit,’ she wrote on Twitter.
Grant Shapps, pictured giving interviews today, is trying to drum up 48 colleagues who will allow him to trigger a new leadership contest after the Prime Minister’s speech disaster
Plotting against the Prime Minister has reached fever pitch after a sore throat saw her cough and splutter through an agonising 65 minutes on the stage in Manchester – some critics are circling to have her removed
Comedian Simon Brodkin managed to get through security at the Manchester venue and hand Mrs May the P45 in one of several disastrous parts of the speech
Business minister Margot James dismissed Mr Shapps, pointing to his connection to the Tory ‘Road Trip’ controversy from the 2015 election. Another Tory MP, Michael Fabricant said he would not ‘buy a used car’ from Mr Shapps
Another Tory MP, Michael Fabricant was even more damning – referring to Mr Shapps’ notoriously operating under the pseudonym ‘Michael Green’ during his pre-politics business career.
‘I wouldn’t buy a used car from one embittered colleague – let alone take advice from him about who should be PM. Theresa May should remain,’ Mr Fabricant jibed.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove called the plot ‘boring’ and told the Today programme: ‘I don’t know of a single Cabinet minister who wants her to go.
‘Theresa May should stay for as long as she wants. The party wants her in place for the next election.’
The PM, pictured in her Maidenhead constituency today, dismissed calls to quit and said she was ‘providing calm leadership’ after plotter went public
Cabinet ministers including (left to right) Philip Hammond, Amber Rudd and Boris Johnson looked on anxiously as the drama unfolded. Ms Rudd at one point urged Mr Johnson to stand up and applaud
Theresa May’s troubled keynote speech got worse when the set failed and the slogan ‘Building a country that works for everyone’ as letters cascaded down behind the PM as she spoke