Claims Andrea Leadsom is facing ‘black-ops’ campaign by MPs are ‘nonsense’ despite accusations she is ‘Tory Jeremy Corbyn’
Key supporter Iain Duncan Smith calls for Conservative Party to show decency during race to replace David Cameron
ANGRY claims that Andrea Leadsom is the victim of an establishment “black ops” stitch-up were last night branded “nonsense”.
Former Tory boss Iain Duncan Smith insisted the leadership hopeful’s name is being blackened to make sure she loses the Premiership race to Theresa May.
IDS insisted: “We have had a lot of sniping, a real black ops operation to denigrate her reputation.
“Project Fear has now morphed into Project Smear”.
Mrs Leadsom’s campaign manager Tim Loughton added: “The establishment seems to be getting Andrea.
“They’re trying to make out she has toxic views just because she is a Brexit candidate.”
But the Home Secretary’s supporters insisted the Energy Minister had only herself to blame for a series of blunders, such as her slight on her rival for not having children and questions about her CV.
A Theresa May campaign source said: “It’s total nonsense. IDS doesn’t do himself any favours by claiming conspiracy theories like this.
“Andrea is doing all this to herself, she doesn’t need anyone’s help.”
Far from hiding in the shadows, a series of senior Tories mounted open attacks on Mrs Leadsom instead yesterday.
Employment Minister Priti Patel, who campaigned for Brexit alongside Mrs Leadsom, suggested she could become the Tories’ Jeremy Corbyn if she wins.
Leaving the EU would also be harder to deliver under the former banker, Ms Patel insisted.
The Vote leave star said: “To govern we have got to be able to carry the support of Members of Parliament. That’s incredibly important.
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“I don’t need to give a re-run of what’s happening with Labour right now.”
Former Tory leadership contender David Davis added: “She’s a junior minister at the moment leaping into the hardest job in the government at the hardest possible time.
“She’s too inexperienced for it”.
Meanwhile, a senior Vote Leave figure revealed Mrs May’s rival was nicknamed “Andrea Loathsome” in their office during the EU referendum campaign.
She was also “totally unreliable” and would be a “f****** disaster as prime minister”, the figure said.
The source added that it was “a joke” to suggest Mrs Leadsom had played a leading role in Brexit’s victory and she had to be “coached within inches of her life” before her TV debate performances.