BBC: George Osborne has said his party will focus on what matters to the public amid criticism from Conservative MPs in the wake of local election defeats.
Some Tories have urged the coalition to drop plans for electing the House of Lords and legalising gay marriage in favour of more populist policies.
The chancellor told the BBC ministers should "focus 100%" on the economy and not get "distracted" by other issues.
But they would still do "socially progressive" things, he insisted.
He was responding to criticism of the coalition's direction and priorities from some Conservative-supporting newspapers and backbench Tory MPs.
On Wednesday, the coalition will outline its agenda for the next year in the Queen's Speech, as it tries to regain the initiative after both the Conservatives and the Lib Dems suffered heavy losses in local elections.
'Change direction'
Many Conservative MPs want ministers to use the occasion to assert more traditional Conservative priorities on issues such as welfare, crime and tax and either delay or abandon proposals to legalise gay marriage and reform the House of Lords, seen predominately as Liberal Democrat ideas.
Mr Osborne told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that "100% of our efforts need to be directed" at fixing the economy, which is back in recession. » | Sunday, May 06, 2012
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