New Tory deputy chair says ex-Number 10 aide Nick Timothy should 'shut the f*** up'

Emilio Casalicchio

Theresa May’s former top aide Nick Timothy should “shut the f*** up”, according to the new deputy chair of the Conservative party.



James Cleverly said the ex-Downing Street policy guru was a “clever guy but he didn’t do us any great favours in the general election”.

Mr Timothy was sacked along with fellow aide Fiona Hill after the Prime Minister lost her majority at the snap election in June last year.

He is widely credited with devising the proposed social care shakeup dubbed the ‘dementia tax’ by critics.

In a newspaper column on Monday, he attacked current Tory strategists for their focus on the environment - regarding it as a "strange" and reflecting "some kind of strategic confusion".

He also attacked former education secretary Justine Greening earlier this month for trying to block cuts to tuition fees, although he denied having a hand in the attempt to move her before she quit the Cabinet.

But Mr Cleverly launched a foul-mouthed attack on Mr Timothy in an appearance on Matt Forde’s Political Party podcast.

Asked if the former advisor should "shut up", he blasted: "Yes… Sometimes the best thing you should do in politics is shut the f*ck up.”

The Braintree MP added: “Sometimes you just need to shut up and get on with the day job.

“He’s a really clever guy but he didn’t do us any great favours in the General Election.”

Mr Cleverly said “a period of silent contemplation” from Mr Timothy would be welcomed by many in the party.

In a new column for the Daily Telegraph this morning Mr Timothy warned Tory plotters against toppling Mrs May.

He said doing so would “destroy the Brexit negotiations, destabilise the Conservative Party, and delay – perhaps render impossible – serious reform”.