Tories are 'ripping themselves apart' in an 'extraordinary' way, Labour Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell says
Comments come as reports suggest 15 Conservative MPs are ready to act to topple Theresa May
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Your support makes all the difference.The Conservatives are “ripping themselves apart“ in government, according to John McDonnell.
The Shadow Chancellor said it was “extraordinary” to see the divisions within the Tory party exposed as Theresa May struggled to keep her party together in the wake of a disastrous general election result.
Labour's Mr McDonnell was speaking to party activists during a campaigning visit to Broxtowe, Nottinghamshire, where the sitting Tory MP, Anna Soubry, has a majority of just 863.
“We can’t go on like this, we just can’t go on like this, not when we’re facing Brexit, not when we’re facing huge issues with our public services collapsing around our ears,” he said.
“So what we’re trying to do, to be frank, is bring this government to an end as quickly as we possibly can and that means opposing them on a daily basis.
“The Tories themselves are ripping themselves apart. It’s just extraordinary, and from day to day you’re never sure which particular coalition in the Tory party are actually in the ascendency on that particular day.
“So that’s why we’re still on a general election footing, and on that basis, we think if we continue this campaign, we have a real opportunity of getting a Labour government.”
It comes as reports suggest at least 15 Conservatives MPs are ready to sign a letter declaring they have no confidence in Ms May.
While the current number is some way short of the 48 names needed to trigger a Conservative leadership contest, Parliament’s summer recess is likely to be a critical time for the Prime Minister as she attempts to reassert her authority.
“The numbers change from day to day depending on what’s happened but there are about 15 who are fairly consistent in their desire for change,” a former Tory minister told the Sunday Times.
“If she has a quiet summer and there are no crises and things are not mismanaged then she might be able to cling on beyond conference, but that is still a big if."
"The break will either have dissipated some of the resentment towards her for gambling away the party’s majority or the rumblings around her leadership will start to flare up again."
The Conservatives are also divided on the issue of Brexit, with Chancellor Philip Hammond among those arguing for a softer withdrawal from the EU while the likes of Liam Fox, the Trade Secretary, and Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, have adopted a more hard-line approach.
Private tensions have spilled over in public in recent weeks, with a number of negative stories appearing about Mr Hammond. Tit-for-tat briefing has also been carried out by allies of both Mr Johnson and David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, who are believed to be eyeing up a run for the leadership when Ms May steps down.
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