Theresa May (pictured today in Maidenhead) has hinted at a sweeping reshuffle that could demote Boris Johnson as she insisted she ‘didn’t come into politics for an easy life’
Ruth Davidson today urged Theresa May to make sure the right people are doing the ‘right job’ in Cabinet amid hints from the PM Boris Johnson could be demoted.
The Scottish Tory leader slammed the ‘unfortunate shenanigans’ which dominated the Tory conference and its aftermath.
Mr Johnson began the gathering facing calls for him to be sacked over a major Brexit essay and the week ended with a failed putsch from former Tory chairman Grant Shapps.
The Prime Minister used a newspaper interview to underline her power to hire and fire, triggering speculation of a dramatic reshuffle within weeks.
Ending a week in which her conference speech descended into chaos, ailing Mrs May said she was determined to bring the ‘best people’ into the Cabinet.
Meanwhile, the three Brexiteer ministers – Mr Johnson, Trade Secretary Liam Fox and Brexit Secretary David Davis – in the Cabinet have all issued endorsements of the Prime Minister.
Ms Davidson told the BBC’s Andrew Marr: ‘The make up of her Cabinet is entirely within her purview and people serve in Cabinet at the pleasure of the Prime Minister, whoever it is.
‘You have seen some unfortunate shenanigans this week in terms of a couple of people trying to push.
‘But the pushback has been pretty strong. We are behind the Prime Minister and she is the best person to lead us forward.’
Ruth Davidson (pictured on the BBC today) urged Theresa May to make sure the right people are doing the ‘right job’ in Cabinet amid hints from the PM Boris Johnson could be demoted
Ms Davidson told the BBC’s Andrew Marr she was concentrating on the 2021 elections to the Holyrood parliament at which she hopes to become First Minister
She added: ‘I am not going to play fantasy cabinet.
‘The Prime Minister knows exactly what talent she has in her ranks – what I believe is a great deal of talent – on the green benches.
‘You have to have the right person in the right portfolio doing the right job.
‘One of the things that has really angered me is people seem to have forgotten we are really lucky to be able to serve our country as politicians. It’s all about delivering for the country,it is not about private ambition.’
Ms Davidson demanded Mr Johnson be held to his vow to back ‘every syllable’ of the Premier’s Florence speech.
And she rebuffed speculation she would be interested in the top job her self.
Amid continued calls for her to move to Westminster, Ms Davidson told Marr she was concentrating on the 2021 elections to the Holyrood parliament at which she hopes to become First Minister.
She said: ‘I would say kindly to my colleagues my job is important. They saw in June that gettting 13 colleagues elected meant we still have a Conservative in No 10.
‘What I have here is a pretty big job and I know what I am trying to achieve in the future here.’
In a separate interview with ITV’s Robert Peston, Ms Davidson insisted her more important mission was protecting the Union.
She said: ‘My commitment is to the United Kingdom. My priority is the UK single market, that is absolutely my primacy.’
Mrs May attended church with husband Philip in Maidenhead today amid continued speculation about her future at No 10
The Prime Minister paid tribute to the support of her husband in an interview to mark the end of a disastrous Tory conference
Former Tory chairman Grant Shapps was outed as a rebel ringleader this week, prompting a new declaration of loyalty today from Mr Johnson.
But the Foreign Secretary’s latest intervention – in which he brands plotters ‘nutters’ will do little to quell speculation he is ready oust Mrs May from No 10.
Trade Secretary Liam Fox also made a major intervention in defence of Mrs May today, praising her ‘great inner strength’.
Brexit Secretary David Davis also backed the PM as the Cabinet’s ‘three Brexiteers’ rallied around their leader.
Ex-PM Sir John Major also spoke out against the plotters today in a major intervention in today’s Mail on Sunday.
The next crucial date in the Government’s agenda is a summit of EU leaders from October 19 at which Mrs May wants agreement for the start of trade talks.
The aftermath of the crunch gathering in Brussels could offer a window for the reshuffle.
In the new interview, Mrs May said: ‘It has never been my style to hide from a challenge. There is an important job to be done and I am getting on with that.
‘I’m the PM and part of my job is to make sure I always have the best people in my cabinet, to make the most of the wealth of talent available in the party.’
The ailing Prime Minister said she was determined to bring the ‘best people’ into the Cabinet – seen as a hint Boris Johnson (pictured on Thursday in London) could be moved from his job as Foreign Secretary
Mrs May insisted her current Cabinet was ‘terrific’ and insisted she was focused on the job if delivering Brexit and a sweeping domestic agenda.
She added: ‘For me leadership is not gossip and game-playing, it’s not about who is in favour and who is out: it’s about doing your best for working people day in and day out.’
Brexiteer MP Nadine Dorries told ITV’s Robert Peston Mr Johnson should keep his job.
She said:’If I was the Prime Minister the person I would be demoting or certainly sacking would be Philip Hammond.
The MP added: ‘I don’t think he’s been totally on board, I think he’s been deliberately trying to make the Brexit negotiations difficult, stall them’.
Mrs May had hoped Wednesday’s speech would reboot her authority after months of vicious infighting over Brexit after June’s general election.
But she coughed and spluttered through the 65-minute address, was confronted with a P45 by a prankster on stage and the set began collapsing behind her.
Mrs May denied reports she had cried over the disaster on the drive from Manchester back to London on Wednesday afternoon.
She said: ‘One minute journalists are accusing me of being an ice maiden or a robot, then they claim I’m a weeping woman in dire need of a good night’s sleep!
Mrs May’s new intervention came after she coughed and spluttered through a crucial speech to the Tory conference on Wednesday (pictured)
Mrs May’s speech was interrupted by a prankster (left) and the PM was embraced by her husband as consolation at the end of the disastrous address (right)
To add to the indignity, even the stage set at Tory conference abandoned the Premier (pictured)
‘The truth is my feelings can be hurt, like everyone else, but I am pretty resilient.
‘I am blessed to have a wonderful husband, great friends and family and a talented team around me.’
Insisting the debacle had to be kept ‘in proportion’, the Premier added: ‘I had to give a long speech with a bad cough, a somewhat shaky set and a so-called comedian intent on getting his 15 minutes of fame.
‘Was it uncomfortable? Certainly. But let’s not get carried away!’
Mrs May said it was ‘frustrating’ the work that went into the speech was wasted but she added: ‘I didn’t come into politics for an easy life, I came into politics to make a difference, to sweep away injustice and to give a voice to those who have been ignored for too long.’
Mr Johnson, who yesterday privately urged Tory MPs to ‘circle the wagons’ in defence of Mrs May slammed plotters in a Sunday Telegraph piece today.
Former Tory chairman Grant Shapps (file image) was outed as a rebel ringleader this week, prompting a new declaration of loyalty today from Mr Johnson
The Foreign Secretary made no mention of his own explosive interventions over Brexit that destabilised Mrs May on the eve of conference.
Mr Johnson said: ‘For heaven’s sake: in the last three years we have had two elections and a referendum. They certainly don’t want to see a Tory leadership contest that would inevitably trigger further demands for an election.
‘What people want is for us all in government to get on with delivering priorities. At the end of this conference season, it is obvious that Tories under Theresa May have the better plans to take this country forward.’
Admitting the plots against the PM were real, he added: ‘From what I can see the Tory herd has refused to be so goaded.
‘We have sniffed the air and turned sensibly away from the cliff.
‘Let’s get on with it, get behind the Prime Minister, and govern as dynamic one nation Conservatives in the interests of the whole country.’