British Prime Minister Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond hold a Conservative Party Press Conference in May. | Pool photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Theresa May to slap down ministers over cabinet leaks Negative stories about Chancellor Philip Hammond appeared in the press over the weekend.

LONDON — Theresa May will attempt to exert some control over her infighting cabinet Tuesday with a slap down to ministers who leaked confidential cabinet discussions.

Reports that Chancellor Philip Hammond said public sector workers were "overpaid" and that driving a train was so easy that even a woman could do it, surfaced in British newspapers on Saturday and Sunday. The chancellor denied the second comment and said the first was taken out of context.

The Telegraph quoted another anonymous cabinet source Monday claiming Hammond was deliberately working to "frustrate" Brexit and treating pro-leave ministers like "pirates who have taken him prisoner."

Hammond has been pushing a softer more business-friendly line on Brexit since the election and so has provoked the ire of some arch-Brexiteers.

In an interview with the BBC's Andrew Marr Sunday, Hammond called for people to stop leaking discussions from cabinet, claiming they were generated by people who are not happy with his Brexit agenda.

In a briefing with journalists Monday, the prime minister's official spokesperson said: "Cabinet must be able to hold discussions on government policy in private and the prime minister will be reminding her colleagues of that at the cabinet meeting tomorrow."

He said May would be "reminding them of their responsibilities and making the point that ministers across government need to be focused on getting on with delivering for the British public."

"The government is all working together to deliver Brexit which delivers on the will of the British people," the spokesman added.