McNulty finds his teeth

Tony McNulty has just launched a savage attack on new shadow work and pensions secretary Theresa May.

It followed an interview in which the Employment Minister had said the words "light at the end of the tunnel".

Sniffing a bit of "green shoots" action, May accused him of being out of touch with reality.

McNulty said to Lobbydog: "Theresa May god bless her has written the most pathetic press release you'll have ever seen trying to allude to my comments, 'the light at the end of the tunnel', being akin to 'green shoots' - which is complete nonsense.”

He said he was being open about the fact that things were going to get worse, but added he'd meant the recession would end one day.

"People need to understand that and cling to this hope. We will get through it,” he spewed.

"If I can't say that without some pathetic little retort from the Conservative Party - if this is the best Theresa May can do - perhaps she should give up now before the end of the first day."