Theresa May’s close ally Damian Green admits the PM had the Downing Street job in sight since University
The Work and Pensions Secretary said May told his wife seizing top job as Prime Minister was 'ultimate ambition'
THERESA May shared her dream of becoming Prime Minister with pals at university, her close friend and cabinet colleague Damian Green said yesterday.
The Work and Pensions Secretary said she’d never confided in him but told his wife while studying at Oxford in the 1970s seizing the top job in Downing Street was her ultimate ambition.
And Mr Green said her continued determination was one reason why she would succeed at it.
Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show the ex Home Office minister revealed Mrs May had not personally told him of her ambitions but told his barrister wife, Alicia Collinson.
He said: “She always had the capacity (to be Prime Minister) and she always wanted to be Prime Minister - and now we know why.
“She has shown with the tremendous start she has made as Prime Minister that the Conservative Party made the right choice.
“She never said it to me - it is said she said it to others, including my wife.
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“It was well attested that Theresa was ambitious but unlike many others - and this is central to Theresa - if she thinks something is worth doing she will go after it and by and large she will get it.
“That’s why she will be an extremely good Prime Minister.”
And Mr Green defended his boss following accusations she was taking the party back in time by promoting policies like grammar schools.
He added: “There is continuity - we are all Conservatives, we are all modernising Conservatives.
“The Conservative Party went through a big change under David Cameron that was necessary and desirable. That element will continue."
“Of course any new Prime Minister has their own individual policy priorities and their own way of doing business.’”