Theresa May: 'I won't hide from a challenge'

PM says that she is ‘pretty resilient’, as Boris Johnson acknowledges that MPs ‘sniffed the air’ before rallying round her

Theresa May: “One minute journalists are accusing me of being a robot, the next they claim I’m a weeping woman’ Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

View more sharing options

Theresa May has vowed in a Sunday newspaper that she will not “hide from a challenge” amid speculation that she could be about to perform a cabinet reshuffle in an attempt to repair the damage to her authority.

The prime minister, who appears to have seen off an immediate attempt to oust her after her mishap-hit conference speech, is still vulnerable and has come under pressure to bring new faces into her top team in an effort to revitalise her administration.

Axe old guard to make way for young stars, senior Tories tell May

The foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, has urged Tories to get behind the prime minister, but acknowledged that there had been a moment while MPs “sniffed the air” before rallying round the embattled premier.

And the former prime minister Sir John Major hit out at the “self-absorbed” and “disloyal” behaviour of some Tories who are “driven by their own personal agenda” – comments that will be viewed as a slapdown to Johnson.

May has repeatedly faced questions about whether Johnson, a potential leadership rival, is “unsackable” due to her weakened position after her gamble of a general election backfired, depriving her of a Commons majority. But asked what she might do with the foreign secretary, May told the Sunday Times: “It has never been my style to hide from a challenge and I’m not going to start now.

“I’m the PM, and part of my job is to make sure I always have the best people in my cabinet, to make the most of the wealth of talent available to me in the party.”

May’sconference speech was interrupted by a prankster who handed her a fake P45, while a persistent cough left her struggling to be heard and a backdrop began to shed letters as she made her crucial address.

The prime minister denied that she had cried after the speech and hit out at some of the media portrayals of her. “One minute journalists are accusing me of being an ice maiden or a robot, then they claim I’m a weeping woman in dire need of a good night’s sleep,” she told the newspaper. “The truth is, my feelings can be hurt, like everyone else, but I am pretty resilient.”

Axe old guard to make way for young stars, senior Tories tell May

She admitted the speech was an “uncomfortable” time but never considered abandoning the address. “I am not someone who gives up,” she said.

Questions have been asked about the security arrangements that allowed comedian Lee Nelson – real name Simon Brodkin – to carry out the P45 stunt. May said she trusted her police protection officers completely, but there would “be a review into the events of the day”.

An attempted coup led by former party chairman Grant Shapps has fizzled out, but the Sunday Times claimed that at least three cabinet ministers had discussed the need to replace the prime minister on Thursday evening, the day after her conference calamity. One told the newspaper: “It feels to me that this is over before Christmas.”

Johnson used his Sunday Telegraph column to question whether the Tory party would allow itself to be forced into “an election that no one wants”, writing: “What do you think you are doing, you nutters?” He said the party’s MPs had “sniffed the air and turned sensibly away from the cliff”.

Major used a Mail on Sunday article to urge the Tories to “wake up and smell the coffee”, telling May that radical action on her social justice agenda was needed and calling on the party to unite or risk the “neo-Marxist” Jeremy Corbyn taking power.

Since you’re here …

… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading the Guardian than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. And unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can. So you can see why we need to ask for your help. The Guardian’s independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our perspective matters – because it might well be your perspective, too.

I appreciate there not being a paywall: it is more democratic for the media to be available for all and not a commodity to be purchased by a few. I’m happy to make a contribution so others with less means still have access to information.Thomasine F-R.

If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps to support it, our future would be much more secure.

Four Armed Robbery Suspects Killed In Shootout With Police In Songwe

“This is Vwawa Bus Stand, where the incident occurred in which armed robbers shot and killed a security guard before fleeing with various items.” Songwe. Four suspected armed robbers have been shot dead following a confrontation with police in Songwe Region after allegedly being involved in a violent raid on a mobile phone and financial services shop in Vwawa town, Mbozi District, in which a security guard was killed. According to a statement issued today, December 30, 2025, by the Songwe Regional Police Commander, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP) Augustino Senga, the incident occurred at around 3:30 a.m. The suspects reportedly stormed the shop, owned by businessman Gabriel Msemwa, at the Vwawa main bus stand, killed the guard, William Mwampashi (45), and fled with assorted items. The deceased suspects have been identified as Bruce Mwasenga, Eliuta Mapunda, Abdul Chiba, and Justine, known by a single name. SACP Senga said police immediately launched intensive, inte...

JAB Yawasogeza Huduma Waandishi Iringa, Yaomba Ushirikiano Kudhibiti Waandishi Wasioidhinishwa

Iringa. Bodi ya Ithibati ya Waandishi wa Habari (JAB) imeendelea na jitihada za kusogeza huduma zake kwa waandishi wa habari nchini, safari hii ikifika katika Klabu ya Waandishi wa Habari Iringa (Iringa Press Club – IPC), ikiwa ni sehemu ya mkakati wa kuboresha tasnia ya habari na kulinda taaluma ya uandishi wa habari. Akizungumza wakati wa kikao na waandishi wa habari mkoani Iringa, Kaimu Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Bodi ya Ithibati ya Waandishi wa Habari (JAB), Wakili Patrick Kipangula, amesema lengo la ziara hiyo ni kutoa elimu kuhusu majukumu ya bodi, mchakato wa ithibati pamoja na kusikiliza changamoto zinazowakabili waandishi wa habari ngazi ya mikoa. Wakili Kipangula amesema bado kuna changamoto ya uwepo wa watu wanaojihusisha na shughuli za uandishi wa habari bila kuwa na ithibati halali, hali inayochafua tasnia na kuhatarisha maadili ya kazi hiyo nyeti. “Tunawaomba waandishi wa habari kushirikiana na Bodi kwa kuwafichua watu wanaojitambulisha kama waandishi bila kuwa na ithiba...

MUCE IMPLEMENTS SH18.6 BILLION PROJECT IN HONOUR OF FATHER OF THE NATION’S VISION

Iringa. As Tanzania marks 26 years since the passing of the Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere — a passionate advocate for education — Mkwawa University College of Education (MUCE), a constituent college of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), continues to successfully implement the Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) Project worth over Sh18.6 billion. Speaking to journalists in Iringa, MUCE Principal Prof Method Samwel Semiono said the project, implemented by the government through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, aims to reform the higher education system so it can directly contribute to the country’s economic transformation. “The five-year project (2021/2022–2025/2026) is funded by the World Bank and focuses on curriculum improvement, infrastructure development, human resource capacity building, inclusive education and gender equality, as well as promoting the use of ICT and digital learning,” explained Prof Semiono. He no...

PAMLOMO-SAUTI YA JAMII

Search This Blog