THERESA May has been forced to admit her ‘strong and stable’ catchphrase was lifted from an NHS leaflet about erectile dysfunction.

Sources close to the prime minister said that while she ‘stood by’ the phrase, it was ‘borrowed’ from a leaflet that she found next to the Cabinet table in Number 10.

A source said: “It was between the seat where David Davis sits and the seat where Jeremy Hunt sits. Anyway, that’s neither here nor there.

“The prime minster picked it up and was immediately drawn to the phrase. She became obsessed with it. She came into the office, told everyone ‘to shut the hell up’ and then started reading the leaflet out loud.

“When she got to the bit about ‘strong and stable’ she slowed right down and then repeated it nine times. At that point Jeremy Hunt started to cry and ran out of the room.”

The source added: “She was also very surprised to discover the existence of vacuum pumps, so that may become a campaign theme.”