Tory MP Faces Embarrassment Over Historical Oversight During Thatcher Tribute
During a celebration marking 100 years since the birth of Margaret Thatcher at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Esther McVey found herself in an awkward situation. McVey, previously known as Rishi Sunak’s minister for common sense, made remarks speculating on what the late former Tory Prime Minister would have done regarding current issues. She suggested that Thatcher would disapprove of Labour’s GB Energy and criticized the proliferation of quangos, attributing their rise to Tony Blair’s tenure. McVey then acknowledged the irony by mentioning the 14-year reign of the Conservative Party, which failed to address these issues.
The audience, including panel host Robert Colvile from the Centre for Policy Studies think-tank, reacted with laughter at the realization. McVey tried to recover by emphasizing the evolving alignment between politicians and the public. This incident occurred amidst criticism faced by Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader, for not apologizing for her party’s past actions during its long period in power. Labour condemned the Tories for repeating past mistakes and advocated for a new direction focused on national renewal and public welfare.