Tory MP Says Only A “Handful” Of Colleagues Want Theresa May To Quit

5 October 2017, 17:37 | Updated: 5 October 2017, 18:29

The vice chair of the Conservative backbench 1922 committee has played down speculation that his colleagues are plotting against Theresa May, putting the number at just a “handful”.

Charles Walker said people should “not read too much" in to reports Tory rebels were preparing to oust the Prime Minister.

On Thursday, Ed Vaizey, who was sacked as a minister by the PM in 2016, said a number of his colleagues “pretty firmly” want her to resign following her troubled conference speech.

Mrs May's deliverance was marred by a sore throat, persistent cough and a prankster managing to hand her a mocked-up P45.

Mr Walker, however, attempted to douse any speculation, telling Iain Dale there would always be some MPs unhappy with their leader - no matter who is in charge.

He said: “I think it is still a handful of people who are unhappy.

“I got elected in 2005 and throughout my 12 years in parliament there is always a group of people who are unhappy with the party leader or the Prime Minister.

“At one stage I was very cross with David Cameron, I really was furious with David Cameron, I think you interviewed me at some stage why I was so cross with him, and that passed.”