Tories consider post-conference challenge to Theresa May - report

Theresa May’s enemies plan to challenge her leadership in the week after the Tory party conference, according to a report.



The Prime Minister’s looks certain to survive in post in the short term, so senior MPs are targeting the aftermath of the conference to make their move, citing the coup against Iain Duncan Smith following the 2003 conference as inspiration.

One senior MP told The Times: “We will be treated to a fabulous show of unity just as we saw with Duncan Smith. But anything less than 100% support at conference will convince colleagues that she has to go quickly.”

Another Tory said the week after the conference would be “the moment. It’s the start of the political year. If there’s a push it will be then.”

One minister said that most of the pressure for a change in leadership was coming from the batch of MPs elected in 2015 and the junior ranks of government.

The two favourites to succeed Mrs May, Boris Johnson and David Davis, have told allies to refrain from obvious attempts to destabilise the prime minister.

At the party conference, the chairman of the 1922 committee Graham Brady, along with former party chairman Sir Eric Pickles, will present a report into the lessons to be learnt from the summer’s general election, when the party lost its Commons majority.