Speaking to reporters in her Maidenhead constituency after Grant Shapps, the former Tory party chairman, said even some of her ministers say privately she should step aside, May insisted she planned to carry on with business as usual. Shapps said he had the support of about 30 MPs, including five former cabinet ministers, and suggested some cabinet ministers privately agreed but would be reluctant to back him because they were on the “payroll”. Charles Walker, the vice-chairman of the influential Tory backbench 1922 Committee, slapped down Shapps, saying: “No 10 must be delighted that it’s Grant Shapps leading this alleged coup. Play Video 1:09 Everything that went wrong during Theresa May’s speech – videoShapps said he had hoped to speak to the prime minister privately but the Tory party whips had unmasked him in the Times newspaper. In the current parliament, that would mean 48 Tory MPs would have to write to Graham Brady, the chair of the powerful backbench 1922 Committee, and signal they have lost confidence in Theresa May.

Source: The Guardian October 06, 2017 07:03 UTC