Theresa May 'to bring in Vote Leave chief to shake-up Tory party'

Theresa May is on the verge of offering a job to the former head of the Vote Leave campaign in a bid to revitalise the her party’s fortunes.



Matthew Elliott, who led the campaign for a vote to quit the EU, is being considered for the role of party vice-chairman following months of divisions and the string of conference mishaps.

Alongside his successful stewardship of the Vote Leave team, the strategist was a major figure in the campaign against the Alternative Vote in 2011.

Mr Elliott was also crucial in the setup of the low-tax thinktank, the Taxpayers’ Alliance.

The move is seen by some Tory MPs as a means of quelling fears by party Brexiters over the direction of negotiations, in particular that of a Norway-style deal which could see Britain continuing close ties with the EU even after leaving the bloc.

Mr Elliott is considered a divisive figure even within pro-Brexit circles, having previously clashed with the Leave campaign's director, Dominic Cummings.

“If May thinks that appointing Elliott is going to make all the Brexit mob happy she’s in for a shock,” one Tory figure told The Times.

While Mr Elliott declined to comment when approached by the paper, the Tory source said: “We are in discussions with Matthew about a role but nothing has been confirmed yet.”