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David Cameron isn't even among friends in his own cabinet now
Already wounded by battles with backbenchers, the prime minister is faced with a revolt by ministers
over cuts
He had departed for the continent on Wednesday the tattered chieftain of a fractured tribe, battered first
by the massive revolt over Europe and then by another backbench uprising over gay marriage, during
which he had to appeal to Labour to save the legislation by throwing him a lifebelt. He was even
lectured by his junior coalition partner about the need to impose some discipline on the Tory party.
Before he reaches the safety of the summer recess, the prime minister faces another, potentially
even more serious, challenge to his command. Whereas the struggles that have dominated the
headlines over the past fortnight have been battles between him and his backbenchers, the next
big one pitches senior members of the cabinet into direct conflict with their leader and the chancellor.
It is an irony that the ministers who are resisting the chancellor most fiercely are nearly all concentrated
on the bluest end of the Conservative party: Theresa May, the home secretary; Eric Pickles at communities
and local government; Chris Grayling, the justice secretary; and Philip Hammond, the defence secretary.
The most rightwing member of the cabinet - Owen Paterson, the environment secretary - is being the
most stubborn of all. While none of his colleagues has agreed everything that the Treasury wants, and
most have offered far less, they have come up with some cuts. Mr Paterson is point-blank refusing to
surrender anything from his budget. "He is just saying no," says one senior minister with a front-row seat
. "Not offering anything."
Colleagues have heard this former chairman of the Tory party arguing that a further attack on town, city
and shire halls is not going to do much for Conservative prospects at future local elections, nor for the
morale of Tory councillors and activists, still fuming about being called "swivel-eyed loons".