LONDON, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Scottish Conservative Leader Ruth Davidson called Sunday for a united front behind embattled Prime Minister Theresa May.
Davidson's rallying call came as the Conservatives kicked-off their annual party conference in Manchester.
With headlines in Sunday newspapers highlighting rifts in the party, Davidson used her conference speech in an attack on the main opposition Labour party, led by Jeremy Corbyn.
Former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine, a strong supporter of Britain remaining in the European Union, was highly critical in a television interview Sunday of foreign secretary Boris Johnson for his interventions in the Brexit debate.
Heseltine told London's Sky news that Johnson's position was unsustainable, but in a separate television interview May would not be drawn when asked if she would keep Johnson in her Downing Street cabinet.
Labour, a year ago facing meltdown through a bitter civil war, is now riding high points ahead of the governing Conservatives.
In her conference speech Davidson told delegates the party "can burst the Corbyn bubble" if it stops bickering and unites behind May.
Last week Corbyn said in his conference speech the Labour Party was a government-in-waiting.
Referring to squabbles between politicians who support remaining in the European Union and Brexiteers who want to leave, Davidson urged party members to "unite and fight."
Her speech ended with the message: "It's time we in this party made it clear that we're not Leavers or Remainers anymore, we're just Brits." It earned a rousing standing ovation.
May sat in the hall alongside her husband listening to the opening day speeches which dealt mainly with domestic issues. She is scheduled to make her main speech Wednesday.
Earlier May outlined in interviews help for university students in what was seen by political commentators as a response to the way many young voters have rallied around Labour's Jeremy Corbyn.
May unveiled plans to freeze university tuition fees and increase the threshold in annual salary before graduates start to repay their loans.
Greater Manchester Police said Sunday night there had been no arrests during a day of what were described as peaceful protest marches through the city center.
Police Chief John O'Hare said around 30,000 people took part in the anti-Brexit and anti-austerity marches which took in a route passing the conference center.
There was a heavy police presence during the day involving around 1,000 police officers, with armed cops guarding the conference headquarters at the Midland Hotel. A number of armed police marksmen were positioned on rooftops of surrounding buildings.
