May will renew British dream, says Telford Tory chairman

Despite criticism of Theresa May’s speech at the Tory party conference on Wednesday, which was marred by a series of unfortunate events, including a stage invader handing her a P45, a cough repeatedly interrupting her address and letters falling off the party slogan on the backdrop behind her, county Conservatives have said the policies set out will allow the party to “renew the British dream.”

The Prime Minister pledged a £2 billion boost to council house building and promised a new law to cap energy prices as part of a drive to help voters who feel they have been “left behind” by an unbalanced economy.

The Government will next week publish draft legislation to fulfil the a manifesto promise of a limit on energy prices, and an additional £2bn to provide “a new generation of council houses”. The announcements came in the PM’s keynote speech to the conference in Manchester, in which she promised to “renew the British dream for a new generation of young people” who feel they have been locked out of economic progress.

Councillor Lowery said: “Theresa May’s speech at the Conservative Party Conference truly defined our beliefs as the party of aspiration. As a party, we fully believe that conservatism is about creating equal opportunities for all.

“The new policies announced on housing and our position on creating an outward looking, global Britain exhibit our aspirations and ability as a party to renew the British dream and truly build a country that works for everyone.” During the speech, Mrs May also apologised for this year’s general election campaign, which she described as “too scripted, too presidential”, allowing the Conservatives to be painted as a party of continuity at a time when voters wanted change.

She repeatedly assured delegates that, following the botched poll, “we have listened and we have learned”.

Following the election, Mrs May said that energy companies would be given a chance to make pricing structures fairer.

But she told the conference that it was now clear the energy market was “broken” and those being “punished” by higher prices were the most loyal customers, often the poor, elderly and less-educated, and those in rented homes. She said: “While we are in favour of free markets, we will always take action to fix them when they are broken. We will always take on monopolies and vested interests when they are holding people back.

“One of the greatest examples in Britain today is the broken energy market.

“That’s why next week this Government will publish a draft Bill to put a price cap on energy bills, meeting our manifesto promise and bringing an end to rip-off energy prices once and for all.”

Spelling out her plans for social housing, Mrs May said local authorities and housing associations would be invited to bid for a share of the additional £2 billion to “allow homes to be build for social rent well below market level”.

She said she would “take personal charge” of “getting government back into the business of building houses” and creating “a new generation of council houses to help fix our broken housing market”.

MP slams attempts to remove PM

A senior ally of Theresa May has warned rebel Conservative MPs that there is no mood in the party for a leadership challenge.

Business Secretary Greg Clark praised the “guts and grace” the Prime Minister showed during her nightmare speech to the Tory Party conference in Manchester.

It comes as a Shropshire MP also suggested that those with ambitions on the leadership need to “put up or shut up” and get behind Theresa May.

It is understood the Prime Minister is not preparing to resign and that ministers called her to offer their backing following the luckless address in Manchester.

But Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard suggested a “small number” of colleagues were raising questions over her leadership in text messages and warned them “there is no vacancy at Number 10”.

Speaking today, Mr Pritchard said: “If some MPs want to see a change of leader there is an agreed process through the 1922 committee.

“Trying to drum up a delegation of 30 MPs to try and circumvent this process is irregular, cowardly and will ultimately fail.

“Any minister with premature ambitions need to put up or shut up and allow the Prime Minister to get on with her day job.”

Mr Clark said the party now needed to concentrate on being “effective and cool-headed” in government and that there would be no patience with any “distractions”. Discussions were reported to be taking place among backbench MPs as to whether Mrs May should carry on following a mishap-strewn address during which a prankster handed her a P45 and she was beset by a persistent cough.

However Mr Clark insisted there was “huge warmth” for the Prime Minister and the poise she demonstrated in carrying on with the speech.

“A lot of the people who were there in the hall and watching it on TV will have admired, frankly, the guts and the grace the PM showed,” he said.