Rebels plot to oust PM if results bad
RISHI Sunak is braced for one of the toughest weeks of his premiership so far as Conservative rebels plot to oust him in anticipation of disastrous local elections results.
A group of restive Tory MPs have drawn up a “policy blitz” for a potential successor, compounding the Prime Minister’s woes days before his party is expected to suffer heavy losses in the local contests.
Mr Sunak has refused to rule out a July general election, amid speculation he could fire the starting gun early in a bid to avert a leadership battle.
The defection of former health minister Dan Poulter to Labour at the weekend further upped the pressure on the Tory leader. He accused the Government of “failing” the overstretched NHS.
The defection prompted a faction of unhappy Tory MPs to release a five-point plan to follow the removal of Mr Sunak with “quick-win” measures aimed at turning around the party’s fortunes under a new leader before a general election.
The policies include reducing legal migration, cutting the benefits bill, hiking defence spending to 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) and giving junior doctors a pay rise of up to 12%.
On Thursday, the Tories are expected to lose about half of the council seats they are defending.
Most of the seats up for re-election were last contested in 2021, at the peak of Boris Johnson’s popularity as the Covid-19 vaccine was rolled out.
But the possible defeat of the two most high-profile Tory regional mayors – Andy Street in the West Midlands and Tees Valley’s Ben Houchen – is what could ultimately push wavering Tories into submitting letters of no confidence in Mr Sunak, with 52 needed to trigger a vote.
Reports suggested some rebels were seeking to instal Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt as his successor, though a source close to her dismissed claims of her involvement as “total hogwash”.
The manoeuvring came as Mr Sunak repeatedly declined to rule out calling a July general election.
He hinted he could wait for the economy to improve, telling the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips show: “I’m determined to make sure that people feel when the election comes that the future is better, that we have turned the corner.”
Most Westminster analysts expect this to mean October or November, but a drubbing in the local contests could force Mr Sunak’s hand.