Furious Tories demand Theresa May name her date to quit after election disaster
Sir Graham Brady and ex-cabinet minister Priti Patel are among the growing number of senior Tories to question May's leadership
FURIOUS Tories are demanding Theresa May name her date to quit after their election disaster.
Conservatives lost more than 1,300 seats at the local elections in the party's worst result for 24 years.
Ex-Cabinet minister Priti Patel said the pitiful message she was getting on the doorstep from voters showed her it was time for the PM to go.
People have very categorically said she [May] is part of the problem. Our party leadership needs to make some very, very serious decisions. Many of my constituents have said we need a change of leadership. Perhaps the time has come for that
Ex-cabinet minister Priti Patel
"People have very categorically said she is part of the problem," she said.
"Our party leadership needs to make some very, very serious decisions. Many of my constituents have said we need a change of leadership. Perhaps the time has come for that."
Sir David Amess, the MP for Southend West, also called on the 1922 Committee to “take action”.
“I think it would have been much more sensible if, before the election, through the 1922 Committee there had been some precise date put on when Theresa would be departing, and then the election process can go ahead,” he said.
Even Jeremy Hunt admitted the results "look like a slap in the face for both the main parties", while Scottish Tories chief Ruth Davidson described the results as "a plague on both your houses" - a sentiment echoed by Remainer MP Anna Soubry.
GRASSROOTS REVOLT
Grassroots Tories across the country vented their fury and disappointment with their party after a difficult night for them.
Tony Berry, the leader of the Tories on Cotswold District Council, who have lost the council to Liberal Democrats after 16 years in charge, blasted: "I would ask [Theresa May] to consider her position very carefully".
He blamed Brexit and "professional politicians who are basically working for themselves rather than necessarily what is best for the country."
Even top Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg was hit by the backlash - as the Tory councillor for his Somerset neighbourhood was beaten by a Lib Dem.
Defeated Tim Warren said last night that people wanted to "punish us for a lack of action in Government."
"There needs to be a change in action," he stressed. "The electorate have spoken tonight and they have been very angry."
Polling expert Prof Sir John Curtice said the days of the Conservatives and Labour dominating, as happened in the 2017 election when they won 80 per cent of the vote between them, "may be over".
Labour lost 82 seats - having also suffered losses the last time these council seats were contested, in 2015.
While the Lib Dems - who campaigned for a second vote on leaving the EU - were the main beneficiary of Tory losses, gaining 703 seats.
Mr Corbyn admitted his disappointment, saying: “I wanted us to do better, of course.”
“Results across the country are interesting, to put it mildly.
"But I also say the swings to Labour in many parts of the country show that we can win seats in a general election, whenever that comes.”
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