Theresa May to read riot act to Cabinet ministers over media leaks
2 min read
Theresa May will order her Cabinet ministers to stop briefing against each other in a bid to end the civil war threatening to engulf the Conservative party.
The Prime Minister was "unimpressed" by stories attacking Philip Hammond in newspapers over the weekend.
Details of last week's Cabinet meeting - in which the Chancellor was said to have called public sector workers "overpaid" and claimed driving trains is so easy "even women can do it" - were leaked by his opponents.
Mr Hammond retaliated yesterday by accusing Brexiteer ministers of targeting him because of his desire to retain the closest possible economic links with the EU.
That led to another Cabinet minister telling the Daily Telegraph the Chancellor was trying to "f*** up Brexit".
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said she would be making her views clear at tomorrow's weekly Cabinet meeting.
"Cabinet must be able to hold discussions on government policy in private and the Prime Minister will be reminding her colleagues about that," he said.
"She will be making clear their responsibilities. Ministers across government need to be focused on getting on with delivering for the British public."
'WE ARE NOT CLONES'
The comments came as Transport Secretary Chris Grayling sought to play down the rifts within the Cabinet.
He told the Today programme: "What I was reading over the weekend was about rows in the Cabinet which simply didn't happen.
"I don't see these great divisions that I was reading about the Sunday newspapers and I have to say I think all of this is somewhat overplayed.
"What I know is that we are not a group of clones, we have discussions around the Cabinet table and outside Cabinet, we debate issues, we decide what's right and we get on with it.
"I'm very clear that the Cabinet and the party are united behind Theresa May, united in determination to get the right deal for the country in Brexit negotiations and to continue the economic progress we have made."
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