Nick Robinson says the “very widespread expectation in Westminster is that Damian Green will resign in the next few days”
I’m smelling toast. https://t.co/LQg5efbbcU pic.twitter.com/yLRYCbhBmN
— TSE (@TSEofPB) December 10, 2017
After her best week as PM, it might be back to the status quo for Mrs May.
The Sunday Times are reporting that
A male associate of Damian Green has approached the Cabinet Office inquiry into the conduct of the deputy prime minister and spoken in support of the woman who had accused the politician of sexual misconduct.
The man, who works in a sensitive position and does not want to be named, has talked to Sue Gray, the civil servant leading the investigation that could end Green’s ministerial career.
The Sunday Times understands that the man spoke to Gray, director-general of the propriety and ethics team in the Cabinet Office, after becoming uncomfortable with anonymous attacks on Kate Maltby, a journalist and academic. She had accused Green of making inappropriate advances.
After Maltby made her disclosures in The Times, she was accused publicly by a “Tory source” of being “desperate to be well known” and warned to be “more careful the next time she’s asked to write a piece trashing a decent man”.
The Sunday Times understands that Gray is examining whether Green or his aides had any involvement in the criticism of Maltby, who is 30 years his junior. She declined to comment this weekend.
It is looking like death by a thousand cuts for Damian Green, and supports Nick Robinson’s view, which was expressed before this latest story on Damian Green broke. I suspect Mrs May will take a very dim view if turns out that Damian Green or his aides were involved in the attacks on Kate Maltby after she made her allegations.
The past few days probably represent Mrs May’s best week in politics since she became Prime Minister losing Damian Green will take the gloss of that and impact the way the government operates if she loses her long time friend. The other question is will David Davis quit in protest if Damian Green quits?
Looking for a new First Secretary of State and Brexit Secretary will complicate Phase II of the Brexit talks will present Mrs May with real challenges, and with a few articles this morning suggesting the Brexiteers aren’t happy with the deal so far and it could lead to a leadership challenge, without Damian Green at her side she might be vulnerable to such a challenge.
Ladbrokes make Damian Green 4/6 as the next cabinet minster to exit the cabinet, having backed him at 3/1 I’m not looking to up, the potential dead heat rules make the 4/6 look very unappealing, David Davis is second favourite at 3/1, such odds are unappealing for the same reasons.