Esther McVey has praised Rishi Sunak's 'robust' approach on issues such as net zero, as the Tories sees a new group form with the party, the New Conservatives.
Speaking on Dan Wootton Tonight, the former Conservative Cabinet Minister and GB News presenter shared her thoughts on the group and the Prime Minister's leadership in the party.
Wootton asked: "So what's the atmosphere going to be like at conference, and what do you make of these New Conservatives launching rival pledges?"
McVey replied: "I don't like the the name New Conservatives, it sounds like New Labour, rid of that straight away. But we've always had groups of people, groups within the Tory party. I had the blue collar Conservatives, there's the common sense, there's the One Nation, ERG. But it's like what do they want to do and how are they doing it?"
"If they're just saying we're going to apply pressure to make sure that we can make Rishi Sunak even more robust, so he comes out with reducing taxes, so he looks at immigration, I would say he was doing all of these things. And I think I said a few weeks back, I wanted Rishi to find his inner Thatcher, and I think he is definitely doing that. He's coming forward. I felt we'd been through the stage of consolidation about being competent about doing the book work, he had to move to the next phase."
Wootton then argued: "But Calvin Robinson will say to you, Esther he's all talk, no action?"
McVey hit back, saying: "But he's moved into action, hasn't he? That was bold of him to come out to say those unrealistic net zero targets have to go, and HS2, I hope he actually comes forward and has the strength to say it needs to stop now, it's spiralling out of control."
Watch the discussion in full above.
Tune in to Dan Wootton Tonight, Monday to Thursday from 9pm, only on GB News.
