Theresa May says she HASN’T abandoned Margaret Thatcher’s Conservatism and says both wanted to ‘do what was right’
The Prime Minister said both women wants to lead 'in the national interest'
THERESA MAY has denied that she is abandoning Margaret Thatcher's Conservatism - even as she strays away from her ideology.
The Prime Minister said both women wanted to lead "in the national interest" and her manifesto launch last week was a true "Conservative" one.
"I’ve always been a Conservative, and what we are doing is in the mainstream of political thinking in this country.
"Now, I do approach things in a different way - in the sense that my thinking on every job I do is just get in there, do the best I can and get on with it."
Traditionally the Conservative party has embraced low taxation, free markets and a small state.
They believed in letting individuals live their lives as much as possible - but Mrs May put great emphasis in her flagship document last week as "the good that government can do".
Last week's manifesto sparked conversation about what 'Mayism' might look like - as she plants her flag firmly in the centre ground.
She insisted there was "no Mayism, just good solid Conservatism".
It would be easy to say the blueprint is actually more of a red print – massive intervention in the market, big spending commitments, and an end to promises not to raise taxes if need be.
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Is Mrs May abandoning Thatcherism?
"No, I’m not," she told the Telegraph. "I was asked that on Thursday, and I said: ‘Margaret Thatcher was a Conservative. I’m a Conservative. This is a Conservative manifesto.’
"And that's the important thing. It’s a manifesto which is based on conservative values and principles. We are the party that believes in low taxation, recognises the importance of the strength of the economy - and that does mean ensuring business is supported.
"But we always recognise that what we want to see is responsible business."
In an article she warned that if she loses just six seats, she will consider Jeremy Corbyn to have won the election.
She said: "Labour’s plan – with its fantastical promises and utopian vision – would drag this country back to the past. It would undo all the progress we have made, return us to the days when the trade unions held sway, and put our economic security at risk."