- Theresa May: In generational terms, the Home Secretary is an oldie, having entered the Commons in 1997. In political terms, though, she is evergreen. Osborne, if he succeeds Cameron, might well seek to demote her out of the top three posts – perhaps to Defence. But she will surely stand against him in the contest to come, and he will presumably want to keep her on board if he defeats her. She might not want to stay on in such circumstances, but she would probably have the option – and can thus stay in the Cabinet until 2020 if she wants to.
I have never blogged about the Rochester & Strood by-election and I am not about to do so now, but there is one Theresa May story which deserves to be told.
All MPs and Ministers visited Rochester & Strood at least three times during the campaign, including Theresa May. During one such visit there were concerns from Special Branch relating to security, and for whatever reason she did not go out doorstep canvassing. Many Ministers might take this as a cue to return to Westminster, but this did not happen. She looked around and saw a large team of volunteers hand-writing envelopes, and without complaint, hesitation or persuasion she joined them. As did her husband who had travelled to Kent with her. And there they sat, for three or four hours, chatting to volunteers and hand writing envelopes. In fact, she was so low-key about it that one volunteer, who was sitting four or five places along the table, came up to me and said,
"Don't you think the lady at the end of our table
looks like the Home Secretary?"
looks like the Home Secretary?"
I will leave the story there with no further comment, other than I found it truly remarkable that someone who held one of the great "Offices of State" for almost five years should still be so charming and grounded.
When IDS was about to be defenestrated in 2003, I went on the radio and TM (then Party Chairman) was the other guest. Because Arsenal were playing and the match went to extra time we had some time to chat.
ReplyDeleteAs a lowly Association Chairman, I took the opportunity to maon about Central Office (as it was then). She was very clear about how important it was for MPs and CCO to support Associations and activists and stop seeing them as the problem! I do think that in her time she made important changes which started to improve communication and training for Association officers and activists.