Chief whip Julian Smith is imposing assessment techniques in an effort to improve the Tories’ performance

Ministers have been warned not to drink during the week if they want to keep their jobs as party bosses impose new “metrics” for success on Theresa May’s team.

Junior ministers were told by the chief whip, Julian Smith, that they would have to do well in five key areas to keep their posts in a year’s time.

Smith and Gavin Barwell, the prime minister’s chief of staff, summoned junior ministers to a meeting after May’s botched reshuffle earlier this month. Smith told them that they would be judged on whether they had ideas, the quality of their “execution and delivery”, “engagement with colleagues”, “teamwork” and “passion”.

One of those present said: “He said we have to have hunger and passion to do a really