Former Chancellor in devastating attack on woman who sacked him as PM prepares to confront colleagues tomorrow
GEORGE Osborne has twisted the knife into Theresa May this morning by claiming she is a “dead woman walking” after Thursday’s disastrous election result.
He is one of a number of Tories who have piled pressure on the Prime Minister this morning - who headed to church with her husband Philip while her premiership hangs by a thread.
She could face a challenge as soon as this week as senior figures call for her to address her own MPs tomorrow, allowing them to confront her over Thursday's debacle where she lost her Commons majority.
And even one of her own key allies in the Cabinet claimed she needs to change the way she operates, after her two closest aides were forced to resign yesterday.
Sir Michael Fallon said he "made clear" to the PM the need for "more collective decision-making", after criticism she was over-reliant on her former co-chiefs of staff Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy.
Mr Osborne, the former Chancellor took his revenge on the woman who sacked him from the Cabinet with a devastating attack on the Prime Minister.
Speaking on the BBC he claimed she was in “hiding” this weekend after losing her majority and scrabbling to get an agreement with the DUP to form another Government.
He was asked by Andrew Marr if the knives were out for the PM in the Tory party, with reports overnight Boris Johnson is planning a leadership bid.
Mr Osborne, now the editor of the Evening Standard, replied: “Yeah, I mean Theresa May is a dead woman walking, it’s just how long she’s going to remain on death row.”
He went on: “I think we will know very shortly, in other words, we could easily get to the middle of next week and it all collapses for her.”
But he admitted that it might not, given there are many Tory MPs who do not want another leadership election.
He added: “Look at this weekend, we have the leader of the opposition as assort of victor, and the Prime Minister, who is supposed to have won the election, in hiding.
“And that speaks volumes about what’s gone on in the election.”
This morning the chief of the Tory “men in grey suits” called for Mrs May to face her colleagues as soon as tomorrow – raising the prospect of a challenge starting this week.
Graham Brady, chairman of the powerful 1922 committee, told BBC1’s Sunday Politics that he wants the PM to speak to Tory backbenchers on Monday.
He said: “Trying to make a hung parliament, a minority government, work really requires a much more inclusive approach bringing people into the decision-making process.
“I think it’s very important she speaks to colleagues as soon as possible.
“We were going to have a meeting of the 1922 committee on Tuesday – I think it’s important we should move that meeting to tomorrow.”
The 1922 committee is responsible for overseeing Tory leadership elections, meaning Mr Brady could have a key role in determining whether Mrs May can cling on as leader.
Today he pledged support for the Prime Minister, saying she must stay to provide “responsible, steady government” in the wake of the chaotic election result.
He also denied forcing the PM into doing a TV interview on Friday, in which she said sorry to her defeated colleagues after being criticised for not doing so when she spoke in Downing Street earlier.
Mr Brady said: “I happened to see her in the interval between the statement and the interview.
“One of the things I mentioned was that in the past the Conservative party has been very poor at communicating with colleagues who have lost their seats.”
Anna Soubry, the pro-EU Tory backbencher, called on the PM to quit by the end of the year after the party’s “disgraceful” election campaign.
She said: “She’s flawed, she’s in a desperate situation, I think her position is untenable.
“She’s got to reach out more – she’s got to broaden the base within the Cabinet.”
And former cabinet minister Nicky Morgan, who was also sacked by Mrs May, predicted there could be a leadership challenge over the summer.
She told ITV's Peston on Sunday: "I think it's fairly clear Theresa May cannot lead us into another election - of course, we don't know when that's going to happen, and I don't think we should rush that.
"But I do think if we're going to have a leadership contest in the Conservative Party, what we cannot do is have another coronation like last summer."
Asked about the timing of such a contest, she said: "Much to the upset probably of every journalist who was hoping for a summer off, I suspect it could be over this summer and I think it should involve our party conference as well."
Ministers have also warned her she must consult more closely with the Cabinet and with Tory backbenchers following her General Election humiliation.
Mr Fallon said the PM recognised she would have to adopt a more collective approach after seeing her Commons majority swept away.
The Defence Secretary, who was one of the first ministers to be confirmed in his post by Mrs May on Friday, told BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show: "Clearly a minority government requires a different approach.
“You have already seen some changes of personnel in Downing Street. I welcome that of course.
"We are going to see, I hope, more collective decision-making in the cabinet. I and other senior colleagues have made that clear to her.
"I think you will also see that she will want to work much more closely with the parliamentary party both in the conduct of business and the development of policy."
Meanwhile Mrs May was pictured seeking solace at church with her husband Philip in her Maidenhead constituency.
She still faces a strong challenge to stay in Downing Street however, despite the potential deal with the DUP.
Downing Street initially said an outline agreement on a "confidence and supply" arrangement had been reached between the Parliamentary allies, which will be put to the Cabinet for discussion on Monday.
But no deal has yet been finalised and talks on the arrangement will continue when its leader Arlene Foster flies to London on Tuesday to meet the PM.
And the strength of any deal looks set to be tested when the Commons meets, with Jeremy Corbyn vowing to try to bring down the Government by insisting: "I can still be prime minister."
Mrs May needs the DUP’s support in Parliament because the Queen's Speech setting out the Government's programme is due on June 19, with a crucial vote on it expected after a few days' debate.
The Labour leader told the Sunday Mirror he would oppose the Queen's Speech all the way, adding: “This is still on. Absolutely.”
In another sign of the dangers facing Mrs May, newspapers are reporting Mr Johnson was either being encouraged to make a leadership bid in an effort to oust her, or actually preparing one.
The Mail On Sunday reported a close ally saying it was "go, go, go", but the Foreign Secretary tweeted: "Mail on Sunday tripe - I am backing Theresa May. Let's get on with the job."
But the Sunday Times said Mr Johnson had been pressed by five Cabinet colleagues to oust Mrs May, with an ally saying: "We are facing a populist and they have realised we need someone who can talk to the people.”
The fallout from Thursday’s shock result saw Mrs May's two closest aides Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill quit after coming under intense pressure for the failure to secure a majority.
They have been replaced as chief of staff by former housing minister Gavin Barwell, who himself lost his south London seat in the election.
And Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, who oversaw 12 seat gains north of the border, indicated she would use her influence to see a fresh approach to Brexit by seeking a consensus across parties.
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