Oh, this whole thing again? With Boris Johnson and Liz Truss both losing the backing of their fellow Tories in the last calendar year, Rishi Sunak could soon face a similar fate – and it is reported that more than two dozen MPs in the governing party are ready to pull the trigger.
Letters of no confidence ‘likely to be submitted this week’
As per The Times, it is reported that 25 elected Tory politicians in Westminster have submitted letters of no-confidence to Sir Graham Brady, who serves as the chair for the influential 1922 Committee. One of their sources, however, was spooked by the move.
“It’s clear they want to get rid of the prime minister; what was less clear was who they wanted to replace him with. I told them I didn’t think the British public would forgive us for changing Prime Minister again, and that it would likely hurt not help our electoral fortunes.”
Could Rishi Sunak be forced out of office?
Given the upheaval that has plunged the Tories into chaos recently, another change in leadership isn’t likely to win-over the public. A General Election looms in 2024, and although the temptation to change will be alluring for some, other analysts on the right are not convinced.
Piers Pottinger is one such commentator – and he says any no-confidence letters should be ‘ripped up and binned’.
“While we’ve got Keir Starmer playing things so carefully, I would say to those 25 MPs who are planning to submit their no confidence letters on Wednesday to rip them up and put them in the waste paper basket, that’s where those letters belong!” | Piers Pottinger
Rishi Sunak facing mini-rebellion within his own ranks
It’s not yet been made public who some of these potential dissenters are, nor who they’d want to replace Rishi Sunak. However, it does appear that the PM is now facing stern opposition from figures within his own party – and he recently felt the wrath of Nadine Dorries.
The former MP for Mid Bedfordshire, whose stalled resignation eventually triggered a by-election, blamed Sunak for ‘engineering’ her departure from office. She also launched a tirade at him during her Friday night show on TalkTV.