Theresa May's reshuffle branded 'worst ever'

Theresa May’s attempts to establish new authority over her government appear to have ended in failure after her reshuffle was described as “the worst ever witnessed in any party ever” and one MP accused her of sacking ministers because they are white and male.

Tory MPs have privately voiced disbelief at a chaotic day best remembered for Justine Greening’s refusal to move department and subsequent resignation and Jeremy Hunt seemingly refusing to leave and even extending his health brief to include social care.

One backbencher, Philip Davies, who sits on the Commons Women and Equalities committee, said some of Mrs May’s team were being “hoofed out” because they are white and male.

However, another minister told the Times that Mrs May had failed to live up to promises that the reshuffle would bring in greater diversity.

“We are in danger of coming across as white and straight at the top, with a smattering of ‘diversity’ at the bottom. That’s a terrible message to send,” the anonymous minister said.

Another Tory MP told Spectator journalist Isabel Hardman: [This is the] “worst reshuffle I have ever witnessed in any party ever. None of it makes sense.

“It’s sabotage. I think someone’s trying to destroy her on the inside. I can’t think of a less dramatic reason!”

Another Tory MP told the Press Association: “She ended the year in not a bad place, to the point where she was making a virtue of her ability to walk through fires.

“The ability to come out the other side of a burning building, which is I think the way she looked at the end of last year, isn’t enhanced by an ability to walk into a burning building deliberately.”

On Tuesday, the PM sacked a number of middle-ranking ministers including an MP at the centre of a sex-toy storm as she continues her reshuffle.

Despite widespread criticism of the shake-up, newly appointed Tory chairman Brandon Lewis insisted the party is “not quite” in a mess but admitted there was a “job of work” to be done.

A day to forget

Sir Nicholas Soames, MP for Mid Sussex, was among those to express displeasure at the changes, tweeting last night: “Is that it?” before adding: “I don’t mean to be rude or to be seen to be disloyal but there needs to be a major improvement to the Reshuffle tomorrow #doitwell”

Nadhim Zahawi, MP for Statford-on-Avaon, also liked a tweet criticising Esther McVey, who has been promoted to secretary of state for work and pensions

Jeremy Hunt, who will continue as Health Secretary but with a considerably expanded role, liked a tweet that said Justine Greening had quit the government.

He later said that he had hit the button by mistake. It has been reported that May had intended to move Hunt to the role of Business Secretary, but he refused.

Greening is believed to have quit rather than leave Education and take the Work and Pensions job.

Heidi Allen said she was “bitterly disappointed” for her colleague, adding: “A dreadful shame we have lost such a progressive, listening, compassionate woman from government.”

Diversity?

The reshuffle, which was supposed to make the government more diverse, left the cabinet virtually unchanged in terms of gender and race, with Britain’s first openly lesbian Cabinet minister, Greening, leaving.

Despite this, Tory MP Philip Davies said the reshuffle had created “a legitimate concern that some people may feel they have been hoofed out or not promoted simply because they are a white male”.

According to reports one Tory branded the reshuffle “embarrassing”, as another senior Tory added: “Far from asserting her authority, it’s just highlighted how weak she is.”

One Tory MP told the Guardian May had “given into the boys” while sacking a “woman born raised in Rotherham who went to the local comprehensive”. They said it was a “dreadful error to let [Greening] go.”

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Brandon Lewis, the new Conservative party chairman, was asked about the reshuffle on the Today programme.

He said: “It hasn’t finished yet. You’ll see today new talent coming into government in the reshuffle work that will be done today by the prime minister…

“You’ll see a really good breath of fresh air coming in with some really good people coming in,” he added.

Casualties in the latest round of the overhaul include Scarborough and Whitby MP Robert Goodwill, who loses his job as minister for children and families, Philip Dunne (Ludlow), who is removed as health minister, and John Hayes (South Holland and the Deepings), who is leaving the Department for Transport.

This morning, Toby Young announced that he is standing down from the universities regulator saying his appointment has “become a distraction”.

The journalist turned educationalist apologised “unreservedly” for a string of controversial comments he had made on social media in recent years.

His announcement comes after ministers were forced defend his appointment in the Commons on Monday following backlash from MPs, including prominent Tories.