Former cabinet secretary, Sir Simon Clarke, recently called for his party to replace Rishi Sunak or face “massacre” in the upcoming general election. Sir Simon believes that the Conservatives need a leader with “instincts of the majority” and has lost key voters due to their lack of action on immigration and government reform. Downing Street has yet to respond to Sir Simon’s comments.
There is expected to be a general election in the second half of this year, and Sir Simon is not the only minister publicly calling for Mr Sunak to resign. Former education minister, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, submitted a letter of no confidence in the prime minister in November. Conservative MPs can only trigger a leadership election if 53 MPs write to the chair of the 1922 Committee requesting one.
Sir Simon stated in an article in the Telegraph that “the conservative party under Rishi Sunak once again stands on the opposite, crumbling bank of this widening precipice”, following a week of rebellion against Mr Sunak over his flagship Rwanda Bill, aimed at deterring migrants from crossing the English Channel in small boats. Last week, 61 Conservative MPs voted to change the bill as it went through Parliament, the biggest rebellion of Mr Sunak’s premiership. The One Nation caucus of around 100 Tory MPs threatened to kill the bill if Mr Sunak agreed to any of the rebel amendments.
However, several ex-Tory cabinet ministers have criticised Sir Simon’s article. Former home secretary, Dame Priti Patel, accused Clarke of “facile and divisive self-indulgence”. Meanwhile, former Brexit Secretary, David Davis, stated that “the party and country are sick and tired of MPs putting their own leadership ambitions ahead of the UK’s best interests.”
Labour Shadow Cabinet Minister, John Ashworth, stated that Sir Simon’s article revealed just how divided the Conservative Party is: “It doesn’t matter who the leader is because the party is divided from top to bottom.” Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, Daisy Cooper, called it “utterly ludicrous that the Conservative Party is even discussing installing a fourth prime minister without giving voters a say.” Despite Mr Sunak’s repeated attempts to gain the upper hand politically, the Conservative Party trails Labour by 18 points in the polls. A recent YouGov poll projected that Labour is on course for a 120-seat majority as things stand.
If accurate, the poll would result in “more Tory seats being lost than in 1997, the Red Wall being wiped out completely and shocking defeats in historic Tory constituencies like Chichester, Horsham, and Banbury”, according to Sir Simon. Within this context, it is essential for the Conservative Party to avoid internal conflict and present a united front to the public if they hope to have a chance at winning the upcoming election
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