Amid the political chaos of ministerial resignations on Tuesday evening, one Conservative MP had a very blunt response to the announcement of a new education secretary.
In a very public example of apparent Tory division, backbencher Lucy Allan MP replied to the official UK prime minister Twitter account’s announcement of Michelle Donelan’s new role, simply writing: “Seriously”.
Ms Allan appeared unhappy that Nadhim Zahawi had been moved to the Treasury to become the new chancellor, as Boris Johnson scrambled to replace Rishi Sunak.
Michelle Donelan’s appointment was annouced on Twitter, with a quick response from one MP
Replying to a tweet announcing Mr Zahawi’s appointment, Ms Allan lamented: “Huge loss to education – a brilliant and inspirational education secretary.”
In another tweet, in response to post by a school governor praising Mr Zahawi’s work in the department, Ms Allan wrote: “Sad to see Nadhim Zahawi go from a post that he was passionate about.”
Ms Allan expanded on her one word withering assessment of Ms Donelan’s appointment as education secretary, replying to one Twitter user saying: “No, I am a backbencher and so not in the running for any position, but I want a credible government for our country.”
The Conservative MP for Telford’s one word assessment of Ms Donelan piqued curiosity on social media.
Alan White, the editor of Politics Home, wrote: “A lot has gone on this evening but I’ll be honest, the only thing I want to hear about is the source of the Lucy Allan/ Michelle Donelan beef.”
Telford MP Lucy Allan said Mr Zahawi was ‘inspirational’
Shehab Khan, a politics reporter at ITV, responded saying: “Ermmmmm – Tory MP Lucy Allan doesn’t sound like she’s too impressed with her own education secretary.”
Political editor of BBC’s Newsnight, Lewis Goodall, summed up the spat simply saying: “Conservative MP for Telford Lucy Allan doesn’t seem especially enamoured with the new education secretary.”
