Health secretary greeted by 'sustained banging of desks' as Tory MPs send signal to 'yellow bastard' Liberal Democrats
Share 34
inShare9
Email 
Andrew Lansley, the health secretary, received a warm reception from Tory MPs. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA
Anyone who thought Andrew Lansley's political career was over had better think again after tonight's meeting of the Tory 1922 committee.
The health secretary was cheered to the rafters when he appeared before the 1922 committee to explain the "pause" in the government's NHS reforms.
My mole described the scene:
The minute Andrew walked in there was sustained banging of desks. He was very very very well received. The support was genuinely warm.
The enthusiastic reception for Lansley was designed to send messages to two people:
• David Cameron needs to tread with care amid concerns among some Tory MPs that No 10 has suggested that Lansley is an isolated figure in the government's "listening exercise" over the health and social care bill.
• Nick Clegg, who announced his support for major changes to the bill at a meeting of his parliamentary party on Tuesday night, will face a furious response if he turns too harshly on Lansley.
This is what my mole said:
Everyone is behind the principles of the reforms. Of course there are Tory MPs who have problems. But these are specific problems which relate to micro-constituency matters.
It is clear that nobody knows the NHS better than Andrew Lansley. We want to get those bloody bastards* – the Liberal Democrats who are now playing this political game. They are demanding all these changes forgetting that they voted for the bill at second reading. Key elements of the bill were in their manifesto.
Vince Cable is right. We Conservatives are ruthless and tribal. We are going to stand up for our man.
My mole says Tory MPs believe Clegg's intervention on Tuesday was part of an operation orchestrated with Downing Street to let the deputy prime minister claim credit for changes agreed with Cameron:
David Cameron recognises Nick Clegg is a liability. Anything he touches is destined to turn to dust, so all his suggestions will have been agreed with No 10. He screwed up on AV and he will not get House of Lords reform through.
The warm support for Lansley and the fury with Clegg show how the coalition will face a bumpy ride over the next four years, assuming it survives that long.
* 9pm update:
Tim Montgomerie@conservativehome has tweeted that the phrase used at the meeting was: "yellow bastards".
• The standfirst of this story has been updated to use this phrase. The original version said 'bloody bastard'.