Today, Tory MPs were furious after Liz Truss’ allies launched an offensive against former minister Sajid Javid.
Amid rumours he was the PM’s first choice to replace Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor, sources told the Sunday Times she regarded him as ‘s***’ after years working with him in Cabinet.
The two also said that Ms Truss laughed out loud at the thought of Mr Javid returning home to No11 after he was fired by Boris Johnson 2020.
On Friday, Mr Kwarteng was dismissed over the mini-Budget. He was replaced by Jeremy Hunt who is the former foreign secretary.
However, other Tory backbenchers were critical of Mr Javid’s attack.
Robert Halfon, Chairman of Education Committee said today that the attack was disgusting.
Sky News was told by him: “The briefings using four-letter words describe Sajid Javid. I have known him since University. He’s a very good man. He was respected.
He didn’t cause the economic crisis when he was chancellor. If the Prime Minister is to bring together the party, get people to her side, she must end these negative briefings regarding colleagues.
Amid rumours he was the PM’s first choice to replace Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor, sources told the Sunday Times she regarded Sajid Javid as ‘s***’ after years working with him in Cabinet
Robert Halfon, Chairman of Education Committee said today that the attack on Mr Javid was disgusting and that he is a good man.
Mark Harper, ex-chief whip, said that Said Javid was a good friend and although they backed different candidates during the leadership election. However, he’s a Conservative colleague.
“All that it does is cause disharmony to the party, when the Prime Minister should do everything possible to bring people and the country together.
And ex-chief whip Mark Harper said: ‘Sajid Javid is a good colleague and, although we backed different candidates in the leadership election, I’m proud to call him a fellow Conservative.
‘No10 briefing nasty insults about *their own* colleagues is not helpful to the Conservative Party when we need to work together.’
This comes amid reports that Ben Wallace (the respected Defence Secretary) is being considered for a potential PM with Rushi sunak serving as the chancellor.
The Government is still uncertain about its ability to secure enough support from the divided party in order to make a series painful tax- and spending decisions that will evoke memories of George Osborne’s austerity era.
In an attempt to persuade their voters and party, Mr Hunt tried to beat Ms Truss in a media scramble over the weekend.
The new chancellor, after completing several interviews Saturday night, will appear later on BBC One’s Sunday show with Laura Kuenssberg.
Ms Truss used an article in The Sun to confess that she had fired her ideological friend Mr Kwarteng. She said, ‘We can’t pave the road to a low tax, high-growth economy, without keeping the confidence of markets in our dedication to sound money.
In the Telegraph, Mr Hunt stated that the Government was “changing course”.
However, speculations about a possible coup against Ms Truss have not been dampened by his appointment.
Wallace, Rishi, who was defeated as a candidate for the leadership, and the former chancellor were also among the potential candidates.
LBC was informed Saturday by Sir Geoffrey Clifton Brownn that Ms Truss’ fate hinges upon how markets will receive the financial plan at the end.
He said that Mr Hunt can steady the ship but warned that it would not be able to please the markets or satisfy everyone else, and the economy will continue in turmoil.
Elsewhere there were rumors that the inclusion of the Ministry of Defence into any spending cut round could lead to a conflict with Wallace.
Sources in defense said that he will keep Ms Truss responsible for fulfilling the promised promises.
Following the Ukraine war, Ms Truss said she would increase defense spending to 3% GDP by 2030.
However, the Prime Minister still has her supporters within the party.
Nadine Dorries was a former culture minister and a faithful follower of Boris Johnson. She wrote in The Daily Express that the sad truth is, those plotting to expel the Prime Minister of Downing Street from office are the exact same people who conspired against Boris. They’ll not stop until they elect their leader.