Tory MP Victoria Atkins has claimed that the UK is still “instinctively Conservative”, just days after the party endured a historic defeat at the polls.
On BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the former health secretary – who is widely expected to put herself forward as a contender to be the next Tory leader – said the Conservatives needs to “act on those values” in the party which voters support.
Alluding to the meagre 121 seats the Tories took in the election, Kuenssberg asked Atkins: “What went wrong with your values then?”
Atkins replied: “We know that the country, actually, is instinctively Conservative, if you look, people want lower taxes.”
“Do you think the country is still instinctively Conservative when they booted you out? You’ve got your worst defeat ever.” The BBC host hit back.
Atkins said: “In terms of their values, their instincts, they are, I believe, still instinctively Conservative.
“They want lower taxes, they want to build a better future for their children, they want to help them thrive in their personal lives, and in their livelihoods.”
“Those values are important to us all,” she added.
It’s worth noting that Conservatives took just 24% of the vote share overall on Thursday.
So Kuenssberg pushed: “What was it that went wrong, though?
“The country has dramatically kicked you out.
“This was not the standard defeat. Labour won a landslide. What was it that was wrong?”
Atkins said it was about “trust” with voters, but refused to outline what the party will actually do next, saying that the parliamentary party has not reconvened since the abysmal general election.