Norman Baker describes constant battle with Theresa May

Norman Baker has launched a fresh attack on Theresa May, saying he resigned as a Home Office minister after facing a constant battle to introduce policies in the face of a Tory lurch to the right in pursuit of Ukip voters.

Nick Clegg was making plans to replace him with a woman. The deputy prime minister has faced intense criticism for failing to appoint any women to one of the Lib Dems five cabinet posts. Bakers replacement will have the title of minister of state one rung below a cabinet minister.

The preparations for the mini-reshuffle came after Baker resigned. He had likened his experience working under the home secretary to walking through mud. The former minister expanded his attack on May on Tuesday morning as he accused her of failing to allow him to develop policies.

Baker told the BBC News channel: The home secretary was reluctant to let me have my head and it was a constant battle to try to get things through. That is unfortunate not just for the Home Office but actually for the government.

The former minister dismissed criticism from Damian Green, who was sacked as a Home Office minister in the Tory summer reshuffle, that he had acted as a Lib Dem home secretary on a par with May.

Baker said: We are in a coalition government and therefore it was right that I took an interest in matters right across the department which is no different to how I behaved in the Department for Transport.

But he said that his battle was complicated by the Tories lurch to the right in response to the Ukip threat.

I have done it for a year, it is very hard work, the Home Office is probably at the cutting edge of the coalition, he said. It is where most policy issues are difficult, whether it is Europe or immigration. It has not been helped by the lurch to the right from the Conservative party as they chase Ukip off to the fringes.

Baker said there was no point in hanging on to office. We dont always have to cling to office as ministers. If we think there is a time to go, there is a time to go. I want a break. I want to spend more time with my family, more time in my constituency, more time doing stuff I want to do, like my music.

The Lib Dem president, Tim Farron, accused the home secretary of insulting the electorate by acting as if the Conservatives had won an overall majority at the last election in her high-handed treatment of Baker.

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Norman Baker describes constant battle with Theresa May