Conservatives take aim at Theresa May ahead of party conference with warning Tories are ‘stuck in the past’

Jeremy Corbyn's message on failing railways, overpaid bosses and infrastructure 'resonates with millions of people', says Tory MP

Political Correspondent

Friday 28 September 2018 09:43 BST

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People's Vote: 'The Brexit Special' starring Richard Wilson

Conservatives have turned their fire on Theresa May ahead of the party's annual conference, warning her that the Tories risk being "stuck in political rhetoric of the past".

Senior Tory figures have been rattled by the interventionist policies set out at the Labour conference, which have attracted attention away from rows over Brexit and antisemitism.

Former minister Robert Halfon said Jeremy Corbyn's messages on failing railways, overpaid bosses and infrastructure "resonates with millions of people", as he condemned the "Groundhog Day of Brexit" among Tory ranks.

His comments came as Boris Johnson launched a fresh attack on the prime minister's Brexit policy, describing her proposals as "a moral and intellectual humiliation for this country" that will "cheat the electorate" if implemented.

The ex-foreign secretary made the comments in a newspaper column just two days before party activists descend on Birmingham for the annual Conservative conference, which is set to be dominated by rows between different Brexit factions.

Writing for the grassroots website ConservativeHome, Mr Halfon said: "We are stuck in the political rhetoric of the past, rather than providing a proper Tory vision for the future.

"It’s why even with ‘the most left wing leader in the history of mankind etc’, Corbyn’s Labour remains pretty high in the polls.

"They are speaking to the problems faced by many. We too often speak only for the few."

Liz Truss, the chief secretary to the Treasury, also admitted that her party has failed to take seriously Labour's campaign strategy.

Asked at a Reform Scotland thinktank whether she had seen Labour's latest party political broadcast, Ms Truss said it was “very good” and “a serious threat” to the party.

“That video does capture the heart of where we need to be as a party... So we need to be talking about how people’s lives are getting better.”

However, in a sign of differing views with Tory ranks, universities minister Sam Gyimah said the Conservatives have "lost our way" with businesses and urged his party against a "Trumpian" shift towards economic nationalism.

Brexit casualties

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Brexit casualties

Andrea Jenkyns - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary at the ministry for housing, communities and local government role

May 2018 - The Morley and Outwood MP said: “We want to see a new relationship with Europe, with a new model not enjoyed by other countries – nothing that leaves us half-in, half-out. “And in order to achieve this, we need to leave the customs union.” Ms Jenkyn’s also said she wished to dedicate more of her time to Parliament’s influential Exiting the European Union select committee, after a series of “unbalanced” reports produced by MPs

PA

Brexit casualties

David Davis - Resigned from Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union role

July 2018 - quit following a major row with May over her plans for post-Brexit relations with the EU. Davis resignation letter said: “As you know there have been a significant number of occasions in the last year or so on which I have disagreed with the Number 10 policy line, ranging from accepting the [European] Commission’s sequencing of negotiations, through to the language on Northern Ireland in the December Joint Report. “At each stage I have accepted collective responsibility because it is part of my task to find workable compromises, and because I considered it was still possible to deliver on the mandate of the referendum, and on our manifesto commitment to leave the Customs Union and the Single Market. “I am afraid that I think the current trend of policy and tactics is making that look less and less likely.” He went on to argue that the “general direction” of Ms May’s policies would leave the UK “in at best a weak negotiating position, and possibly an inescapable one”.

AFP/Getty

Brexit casualties

Steve Baker - Resigned from Minister at the Department for Exiting the European Union role

July 2018 - Mr Baker, a key Tory figure in the Leave campaign, was David Davis’s main lieutenant at Dexeu, and was hailed as ”courageous and principled” by other Brexiteer Tories as he also left.

Reuters

Brexit casualties

Boris Johnson - Resigned from Foreign Secretary role

July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. In his resignation letter to the prime minister, Mr Johnson said: "On Friday, I acknowledged that my side of the argument were too few to prevail and congratulated you on at least reaching a Cabinet decision on the way forward. "As I said then, the government now has a song to sing. "The trouble is that I have practised the words over the weekend and find that they stick in the throat."

Reuters

Brexit casualties

Conor Burns - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary to Foreign Secretary role

July 2018 - A Brexit supporter who worked alongside Boris Johnson stated in his resignation letter: “I've decided it's time to have greater freedom. I want to see the referendum result respected. And there are other areas of policy I want to speak more openly on.”

Rex

Brexit casualties

Chris Green - Resigned from Department for Transport role

July 2018 - The Bolton West MP said: "Parliament overwhelmingly decided to give the decision of whether to leave or remain in the European Union to the British people and they made an unambiguous decision that we ought to leave. "I have always understood the idea in 'Brexit means Brexit' is that the final deal should be clear to me and my constituents - that we have, in no uncertain terms, left the European Union. Twitter Ads info and privacy "The direction the negotiations had been taking have suggested that we would not really leave the EU and the conclusion and statements following the Chequers summit confirmed my fears. "I recognise that delivering Brexit is challenging, however I had hoped at tonight's meeting that there would be some certainty that my fears were unfounded but, instead, they have been confirmed. "I have been grateful for the opportunity to serve as Parliamentary Private Secretary and it is with regret that I offer my resignation with immediate effect."

PA

Brexit casualties

Maria Caulfield - Resigned from Conservative Party vice-chair for women role

July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. Lewes MP warned that the direction of travel did “not fully embrace the opportunities that Brexit can provide”. Ms Caulfield said in her letter to the PM: “The policy may assuage vested interests, but the voters will find out and their representatives will be found out. This policy will be bad for our country and bad for the party. “The direct consequences of that will be prime minister Corbyn.”

PA

Brexit casualties

Ben Bradley - Resigned from Conservative Party vice-chair for young people role

July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. The Mansfield MP said: “I admit that I voted to Remain in that ballot. What has swayed me over the last two years to fully back the Brexit vision is the immense opportunities that are available from global trade, and for the ability for Britain to be an outward looking nation in control of our own destiny once again. “I fear that this agreement at Chequers damages those opportunities; that being tied to EU regulations, and the EU tying our hands when seeking to make new trade agreements, will be the worst of all worlds if we do not deliver Brexit in spirit as well as in name, then we are handing Jeremy Corbyn the keys to No10.”

PA

Brexit casualties

Robert Courts - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary role

July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. MP Mr Courts said: “I have taken a very difficult decision to resign my position as [parliamentary private secretary] to express discontent with the Chequers [plans] in votes tomorrow. “I had to think who I wanted to see in the mirror for the rest of my life. I cannot tell the people of Woxon that I support the proposals in their current form.”

Getty

Brexit casualties

Scott Mann - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary role

July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. "I fear elements of the Brexit white paper will inevitably put me in direct conflict with the views expressed by a large section of my constituents. I am not prepared to compromise their wishes to deliver a watered-down Brexit. "The residents of North Cornwall made it very clear that they wish to have control over our fishery, our agricultural policy, our money, our laws and our borders. I will evaluate those principles against the Brexit white paper and ensure that I vote in line with their wishes."

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Another Tory MP, George Freeman, a former policy adviser to the prime minister, said the party must reconnect with under 45-year-olds or risk becoming a "rump party of nostalgic nationalists".

Meanwhile former Conservative leader, Michael Howard, was caught predicting the prime minister's demise within "the next few months", according to a recording obtained by The Sun.

Brexit and leadership questions will likely hang over the party's annual gathering, as Ms May tries to sell her Chequers plan to her divided party.

Her Brexit rival, Mr Johnson, is likely to make trouble for her through a rebel speech at the fringes of the conference on Tuesday - the day before Ms May makes her conference address.

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