1 April 2019

Just how low has Theresa May sunk as prime minister when even her friend and minder Chris ‘Failing Grayling’ has turned against her?

Ian Strutt writes: Today’s Times newspaper reports that her “ministers including Chris Grayling…have made it clear that they would consider resigning if the prime minister bows to the will of the Commons should it vote for a customs union tonight.” Further, The Times makes clear that Mr. Grayling is “among those who made it clear that a customs union was a red line.”

‘Failing Grayling’ has been backing May for years and, comparing their characters, they have similar traits, including failing to listen to criticism. I can’t help thinking that Grayling, who seconded May to become prime minister, must have helped her to make a dash for the snap election that lost the Tories their Commons majority.

It was hard not to notice the anxiety on ‘Failing Grayling’s’ face as it dawned on him at the election night count in Epsom’s grandstand that all had not gone well! He looked pretty frantic as he stared at his phone to learn how many seats were being lost – and then made equally frantic phone calls so obviously to his Tory colleagues.

But is it any threat at all if ‘Failing Grayling’ was to resign from the Cabinet? I’m pretty sure most of his party colleagues would be only too happy to see the back of a minister who has probably the worst reputation in Tory politics.

May has deliberately telescoped decision-making on Brexit into the shortest time possible as a means of trying to force MPs to vote for her Brexit deal.

Her appalling tactic has backfired, but ‘Failing Grayling’ now wants to override democratic decisions hopefully made in the Commons to dig the country out of the current mess created by his own party.