Truss in move to restore discipline after fractious Tory conference
Allies of Liz Truss said collective responsibility would be enforced in Cabinet following a series of incidents at the party conference.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Liz Truss will attempt to impose iron discipline in the Tory ranks as MPs return to Westminster following a fractious Conservative Party conference.
The gathering in Birmingham saw Cabinet collective responsibility pushed to breaking point and the threat of a rebellion over tax measures by senior backbenchers.
Downing Street suggested Tory whips will seek to restore order.
The Prime Minister’s press secretary said: “There’s always going to be differences of opinion between people, people are entitled to their personal opinions. But they should be raised in a more constructive manner.
“Collective responsibility is the same as it always has been.”
Asked if that will be rammed home in Westminster next week, he said: “You will have to speak to the whips about that, but that should answer your question.”
Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt called for benefits to be increased in line with soaring inflation at the conference, something which the Government has not yet decided on, with speculation welfare spending could be linked to earnings instead to save money.
Asked if Ms Mordaunt could lose the whip, he said: “That’s one for the whips but I don’t imagine that to be the case.”
He acknowledged “there have been some difficulties” during the conference.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman also stepped out of line, calling for the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights – something which is not Government policy.
But Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg defended Ms Braverman, telling the PA news agency: “I think at a party conference, it’s really important that ministers discuss things.”
He added that he had taken part in discussions about ideas that were not Government policy and “may never become Government policy”.
Boris Johnson’s administration removed the whip from 21 MPs in a show of force against critics of Brexit.
Mr Johnson’s former aide Dominic Cummings suggested there was no hope of Ms Truss being able to exert similar authority and attempting to do so would increase the chances of her being forced out of No 10.
“Anybody who thinks the Vote Leave approach to a once-a-century constitutional crisis amid Sep 2019 mayhem is a) the right approach now and b) actually executable by the Truss team is … wrong,” he said on Twitter.
“This will accelerate her removal.”