Theresa May could be in power longer than Thatcher, claims Tory MP
2 min read
Theresa May could serve as Prime Minister for another decade, a veteran Tory MP incredibly claimed today.
The Prime Minister’s position has been under intense scrutiny since her party’s poor showing at June’s general election, where the Tories lost their Commons majority.
A poll this week found that 48% of the public thought Mrs May should resign before the next general election, which is due in 2022, while only 29% want her to see out her term.
However, the BMG survey for the Independent found little enthusiasm for other senior figures to replace Mrs May, with 56% of voters refusing to back any of her rivals to succeed her.
When asked who would “make the best Prime Minister”, Boris Johnson was the most popular on 16%, while David Davis and Philip Hammond achieved just 5%.
‘POWER OF INCUMBENCY’
But despite the “woeful” Conservative general election campaign, backbencher John Baron argued Mrs May could yet see her become the longest-serving post-war leader.
She would need to serve another 10 years to surpass the 11 years Margaret Thatcher was in office.
Writing on the ConservativeHome site, Mr Baron said: “The campaign lacked soul, heart and compassion. It failed to convey the message that financial discipline and economic prosperity are a means to an end.
“We must now harness the power of incumbency to put this right. If we do, despite the Cabinet chatter, the Prime Minister could become the longest serving in the post-war period.”
He issued a rallying call to his parliamentary colleagues, saying: “As Conservatives, we now have four years to take advantage of the power of incumbency to set about improving people’s lives, in parallel with negotiating our exit from the EU.
“If we continue to deliver and get the messaging right, we will then have a compelling vision to offer the country at the next election – and win.”
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