Theresa May is relaxed about being branded a 'bloody difficult woman'

Theresa May was out and about on the morning media circuit today (4 October), where she reconfirmed her government would stick with David Cameron's "tens of thousands" net migration target and revealed she was relaxed about being branded a "bloody difficult woman".

Former Chancellor Ken Clarke made the comments during an off-the-air conversation with another ex-minister, Sir Malcolm Rifkind. The senior Conservatives may have thought their remarks were private, but Sky News cameras and, more importantly, microphones were still rolling.

Clarke and May were colleagues in Cameron's administration, with May as home secretary and Clarke as minister without portfolio.

"Ken and I had our interesting debates in the past and I stand by doing what I believe to be the right thing," the prime minister told LBC Radio. "If standing up for what you believe to be right is being 'bloody difficult', then so be it."

May, who has been accused of being somewhat of an enigma, has shown she has a personality throughout the Conservative conference in Birmingham. She reportedly shouted out to Tory MP James Cleverly "I still haven't got that kiss" during a fringe reception, following Cleverly's revelation that he would "snog" the prime minister.

On more serious matters, May told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "injustice, child sex abuse, modern slavery and the powerful abusing their position" are issues that anger her, suggesting that her six-year tenure at the Home Office will influence her strongly throughout her time in Number 10.

The Conservative premier addressed Brexit on the first day of the Tory conference, announcing her government would trigger Article before March 2017, scrap the 1972 European Communities Act and introduce a Great Repeal Bill.

The move would enshrine all EU law into UK law, enabling MPs to amend, build on or repeal Brussels-made legislation after Brexit. All signs are pointing to a so called "hard Brexit", with the pound falling to a 31-year-low against the dollar.

But with the big Brexit announcements over, May's government can concentrate on more domestic affairs. Home Secretary Amber Rudd is expected to address the Tory faithful this afternoon, while Defence Secretary Michael Fallon will promise to stop vexatious legal claims against British soldiers.

The government will attempted to protect armed forces personnel by introducing a presumption to derogate from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in future conflicts.

It will come after the Conservative's 2015 general election manifesto committed the party to ensure "British armed forces overseas are not subject to persistent human rights claims that undermine their ability to do their job".