Politics latest news: Changing PM would mean ‘certain loss of power’ for Tories, warns Ben Wallace

Ben Wallace warned changing Tory leader again would likely mean the “certain loss of power” for the Conservative Party.

The former defence secretary said he believed Sir Simon Clarke was “wrong” to have called for Rishi Sunak to be replaced.

He tweeted: “My colleague, Sir Simon Clarke MP, is wrong. The way to win the next election is to tackle inflation and grow the economy.

“Rishi is doing just that. Division and another PM would lead to the certain loss of power. We need to focus on delivering for the public, not divisive rowing.”

A series of current and former ministers rallied round Mr Sunak today after Sir Simon made his call in a piece for The Telegraph overnight.

Sir Simon, a former Cabinet minister, argued the Tories must oust Mr Sunak or face an electoral “massacre” at the next general election.

You can follow the latest updates below and join the conversation in the comments section here. 

04:00 PM GMT

That is all for today...

Thank you for joining me for today’s politics live blog.

I will be back tomorrow morning.

03:50 PM GMT

'The truth is many Tories are privately thinking exactly the same as Sir Simon Clarke'

My colleague Camilla Tominey has taken a look at what is happening behind the scenes of today’s Tory infighting following Sir Simon Clarke’s call to oust Rishi Sunak. She writes:

You can read the full piece here.

03:31 PM GMT

Labour MP apologises over Gaza remark

A Labour MP who accused Rishi Sunak of having “the blood of thousands of innocent people on his hands” over his response to the Israel-Hamas war has apologised for the remark.

Tahir Ali made the comment during Prime Minister’s Questions today but he has now tweeted:

“Earlier at PMQs I asked the Prime Minister about the actions of Israel in Gaza. This is obviously a deeply emotive issue. While I do not resile from my strongly held views on the situation in the Middle East I would like to apologise for the way in which I described the Prime Minister in my question.

“We all have a responsibility to be respectful in the language that we use, even when discussing difficult and, at times, sensitive issues.”

03:22 PM GMT

Call to oust Sunak ‘not very helpful’, says former chancellor

Kwasi Kwarteng said Sir Simon Clarke’s call to oust Rishi Sunak was “not very helpful”.

Asked if he had full confidence in Mr Sunak heading into the next election, the former chancellor told Times Radio: “We’ve got a leader. We’ve got an election this year. The only way that we’re going to avoid a total disaster is by staying united and backing the leader in a team focused way.

“I think people going off on their own, calling for Rishi Sunak to resign, is not very helpful.”

03:09 PM GMT

‘Very unwise’ to change Tory leader now, says Kwarteng

Kwasi Kwarteng said it would be “very unwise” to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader.

The former chancellor told Times Radio: “I don’t agree with Simon [Clarke]. I think it’s the wrong time to change leader.

“I think we’ve had lots of leaders. Neither the Prime Minister or his predecessor was elected in 2019.

“And I think to change the leadership now without a general election, I think would be very unwise.”

02:49 PM GMT

Extra £600m handed to councils to avoid bankruptcies

Councils will receive an emergency bailout from the Government following recent warnings of further bankruptcies.

Some £600 million in further funding will be made available to town halls to deliver key services, with £500 million earmarked to help councils fund social care services.

Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, announced the move this afternoon and said: “We have listened to councils across England about the pressures they’re facing and have always stood ready to help those in need.

“This additional £600 million support package illustrates our commitment to local government. We are in their corner, and we support the incredible and often unsung work they do day-to-day to support people across the country.”

02:25 PM GMT

Civil Service lists ‘change of government’ as main wish for 2024

Civil service bosses have listed a “change of government” as one of their top wishes for this year, sparking accusations of anti-Tory bias in Whitehall.

Senior managers were asked what they were most looking forward to in 2024 when they gathered at a conference in Westminster last week.

The Telegraph has been told a “word cloud” was produced and the most popular responses were “change of government” and “general election”.

You can read the full story here.

02:04 PM GMT

Join the conversation

Readers in the comments section of today’s politics live blog are debating Sir Simon Clarke’s call to oust Rishi Sunak.

John E said: “Sir Simon Clarke has simply voiced what most grass root conservatives are probably thinking. Rishi Sunak was not elected and since becoming PM he has not shown much true leadership and his idea of ennobling David Cameron to be our foreign minister was a disaster in all ways. It is not as if the UK’s position has changed much under his ‘financial expert’ tenure.”

C.T said: “The Tories are damned either way. They’ve had too many leadership changes in toxic circumstances. The MPs ousted Liz Truss in a coup when they should have been loyal to the party members’ choice. Mr Sunak was never capable of winning an election, and it is too late for yet another change.”

John W said: “Sir Simon is stating the obvious. If Rishi Sunak stays, the Tories will probably come third in the election, after Reform. If they replace him with a real leader rather than a mere mouthpiece for the Blob, they have a bit of a chance – and a better one, of winning the election after that.”

You can join the conversation in the comments section here.

01:33 PM GMT

No 10 appears to open door to return of Lee Anderson

Downing Street said it has “a lot of time” for former deputy Tory chairman Lee Anderson as it appeared to open the door to a potential return to a prominent role following his resignation over the Rwanda Bill.

Asked whether Rishi Sunak would consider giving Mr Anderson his job back after he voiced regret over his abstention, the Prime Minister’s press secretary said it was “the PM’s prerogative” to choose who gets which jobs.

“I think we can say that we have a lot of time for Lee. He made it clear that he had concerns but actually he really supports getting this deterrent up and running so it’s good to see him talking about that today,” she said.

01:22 PM GMT

Clarke criticism ‘won’t distract’ PM, insists No 10

Sir Simon Clarke’s call for Rishi Sunak to quit “won’t distract us from getting on with what matters to people”, Downing Street said.

The Prime Minister’s press secretary said: “The PM is just focused on the job, getting on with the key priorities that he’s set out for the country and that’s where he’s spending his time at the moment.”

No 10 insisted the Conservatives are united on the “big issues” such as lowering tax where it is responsible to do so, describing Sir Simon as a “known critic”.

Asked whether Mr Sunak was worried about a wider Conservative revolt, she said: “This is one MP. All I would say is Simon Clarke has set out his view in a paper today.

“We recognise that he’s in a different place to some other MPs that have come out today. He’s entitled to his view but that won’t distract us from getting on with what matters to people.”

01:07 PM GMT

Changing Tory leader ‘very worst thing we could do’, says MP

Another change of Tory leader would be the “very worst thing we could do now”, a Conservative MP has warned.

Stephen Hammond told Times Radio: “The very worst thing we could do now is have another change of leader. That would make us look, I think sort of, well I think self-indulgence is probably the right term.”

01:04 PM GMT

Tory MP to Sir Simon Clarke: ‘Don’t say any more’

Tory MP Stephen Hammond said his message to Sir Simon Clarke was “don’t say any more”.

He told Times Radio: “My strong advice to Simon is, this isn’t going to work. This is wrong. And I think it’ll be helpful for the Conservative Party cause, and if he does want to stop the extinction of the party, don’t say any more.”

Asked if he was suggesting Mr Clarke should “shut up”, Mr Hammond said: “I’d be politer than that. I’d say to Simon it’s time to keep quiet.”

12:55 PM GMT

Tory MP asks PM to consider banning smart phones for under-16s

Tory MP Miriam Cates asked Rishi Sunak to consider banning smart phones for under-16s.

She said: “Does the [Prime Minister] agree with me that it is time to consider banning social media and perhaps even smart phones for under-16s?”

Mr Sunak said: “[She] is absolutely right to highlight the impact of what happens online on our children and that is why our Online Safety Act tackles both criminal activity online and protects children from harmful or inappropriate content...”

12:40 PM GMT

MPs urge Sunak to push for Gaza ceasefire

Rishi Sunak was pushed to call for a ceasefire in Gaza by a number of MPs in the Commons during PMQs.

Speaking from the front bench, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said: “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to rise to that despatch box and tell the people of these isles and elsewhere that shooting an unarmed man, walking under a white flag is a war crime.

“Now in recent weeks this House has acted with urgency and intent following an ITV drama, the question is will this House make sure the same urgency and intent following this ITV news report and finally back a ceasefire?”

The Prime Minister replied: “No one wants to see this conflict go on for a moment longer than is necessary and we do want to see an immediate and sustained humanitarian pause.”

Later in the session, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said: “The next time there’s a vote at the UN for a ceasefire, will his representative vote for it?”

Mr Sunak said: “Of course we will engage with all UN resolutions on their merits.”

12:21 PM GMT

Labour leader claims Sunak is 'bullied' by his party

Sir Keir Starmer said: “He [Rishi Sunak] can try and blame the Labour Party all he wants, the difference is I have changed my party, he is bullied by his party.”

Mr Sunak said: “Let’s see what his party is offering the country. We all know he doesn’t have many ideas for our country but one thing we do know is that he is committed to his 2030 decarbonisation promise which they say will cost £28billion but I was reading about it this week... one of his team called it an Albatross hanging around their neck, that might have been the shadow chancellor maybe, but he said they are doubling down on it.”

The Prime Minister said Sir Keir should “come clean” with families about how Labour will pay for its green investment plans and “just be clear his plans mean back to square one and higher taxes for British people”.

12:16 PM GMT

Tory infighting 'longest episode of Eastenders ever put to film', says Starmer

The Labour leader likened Tory infighting to the “longest episode of Eastenders ever put to film”.

Sir Keir Starmer said: “We have seen this story time and time again with this lot. Party first, country second, safely ensconced in Westminster they get down to the real business of fighting each other to death, the country forced to endure their division and chaos, the longest episode of Eastenders ever put to film.”

Sir Keir asked Rishi Sunak if he was “embarrassed that the Tory Party is yet again entirely focused on itself”.

Mr Sunak hit back and said: “Yet more sniping from the sidelines...”

12:12 PM GMT

Starmer claims Tories are 'giving up' on Sunak

Sir Keir Starmer claimed Rishi Sunak’s Government was “crumbling” and Tory MPs were “giving up” on the Prime Minister.

He said: “He spouts so much nonsense, no wonder they are giving up on him. And even now as his Government crumbles around him and his own MPs point out he is out touch, got no plan for growth, crime or building houses, the Prime Minister is sticking to his one man Pollyanna show: Everything is fine, people should be grateful to him.

“The trouble is no one is buying it. Does he actually understand why his own MPs say he doesn’t understand Britain and that he is an obstacle to recovery?”

Mr Sunak said: “He calls it nonsense but these are his positions… he chose to represent a now proscribed terrorist group, he chose to campaign against the deportation of foreign national offenders, just like he chose to serve [Jeremy Corbyn].

“That’s his record, those are his values, and that is exactly how he should be judged.”

12:08 PM GMT

Sunak blasts Starmer after Labour leader raises Tory call for PM to quit

Sir Keir Starmer started PMQs by saying that “the Prime Minister has had quite a week” and he was “glad to hear that he [Mr Sunak] managed to take some time off” to “kick back, relax and accidentally record a candid video for Nigel Farage”.

The Labour leader said there had been a lack of leadership and governing from Mr Sunak as he then raised Sir Simon Clarke’s piece in The Telegraph calling for him to go.

Sir Keir asked: “So was he surprised to see one of his own MPs say that he doesn’t get what Britain needs and he is not listening to what people want?”

Mr Sunak replied: “He talks about what Britain needs, what Britain wants, what Britain values. This from the man who takes the knee, who wanted to abolish the monarchy, who still doesn’t know what a woman is and who just this week one of his frontbenchers said that they backed teaching divisive white privilege in our schools.

“Looking at his record it is crystal clear which one of us doesn’t get Britain’s values.”

12:03 PM GMT

Government 'absolutely committed' to Royal Mail maintaining six-day service, says Sunak

The first question faced by Rishi Sunak at PMQs was about proposals from Ofcom which could see Royal Mail reduce its delivery service.

Asked for a guarantee that there will be no reduction from the current six day service, the Prime Minister told the Commons that the Government is “absolutely committed that it remains as it is”.

12:00 PM GMT

Sunak given warm welcome by Tory MPs ahead of PMQs

Rishi Sunak was given a very loud cheer by Conservative MPs when he entered the House of Commons ahead of Prime Minister’s Questions.

The PM is now in his place on the Government frontbench and PMQs should get underway imminently.

11:40 AM GMT

‘Writing is on the wall’ for Tories if Sunak remains leader, says MP

Former minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns said the “writing is on the wall” for the Conservative Party if Rishi Sunak remains Tory leader.

Dame Andrea, who previously said she had submitted a letter of no confidence in Mr Sunak’s leadership, said the Tories are now in the “last chance saloon”.

She told GB News this morning: “Good on Simon [Clarke]. I just wish more colleagues would come out [against Mr Sunak]. I have been trying to fight this for several months and the writing is on the wall for the party if we don’t simply remove Rishi.”

11:21 AM GMT

Reader poll: Should there be a change in Tory leadership before the election?

Sir Simon Clarke has called for Rishi Sunak to be replaced as Tory leader, warning that sticking with the status quo will result in an electoral “massacre”.

Do you agree with Sir Simon? You can have your say in our reader poll:

11:05 AM GMT

Analysis: Out of the frying pan and into the fire for Sunak at PMQs

It never gets easier being PM.

Last Wednesday Rishi Sunak entered Prime Minister’s Questions amid a destabilising Tory rebellion over the Rwanda Bill which provided Sir Keir Starmer with plenty of ammunition.

This Wednesday Mr Sunak will step up to the despatch box just hours after a former Cabinet minister pressed the nuclear button and publicly called for him to quit.

Mr Sunak will be hoping for a loud show of support from Tory MPs in the chamber at noon but there can be no doubt: The PM will be playing on a sticky wicket. Again.

10:46 AM GMT

Who are the runners and riders who could replace Rishi Sunak?

My colleague Gordon Rayner has taken a look at the names who could be in the frame should the Tories opt to change leader again.

They include Kemi Badenoch, Penny Mordaunt and Suella Braverman.

You can find the full list here.

10:25 AM GMT

Cleverly warns against 'foolish' internal Tory argument over leadership

James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, said it would be “foolish” for the Tories to indulge in infighting following Sir Simon Clarke’s call for Rishi Sunak to go.

He told reporters: “I know Simon very well, I like him and respect him. I could not disagree with him more on this particular issue.”

Mr Cleverly said Mr Sunak was succeeding in his efforts to reduce inflation and cut the number of people arriving on small boats.

“He is absolutely determined to drive this Government further in the delivery of the plan,” the Home Secretary said.

“And if we were to do something as foolish as have an internal argument at this stage, all it would do is open the door for Keir Starmer and Keir Starmer has no plan, would undo all the good work, take us right back to square one.

“So I’m going to stick with the plan. I’m going to stick with the Prime Minister and I’m going to keep working on behalf of the British people.”

10:20 AM GMT

Lee Anderson says he ‘should have voted’ for Rwanda Bill

Lee Anderson said he should have voted for the Rwanda Bill and would take his old job back as deputy Tory chairman if asked to do so by Rishi Sunak.

Speaking to The Telegraph, the outspoken Conservative MP said he should have been “brave” and sided with the Government instead of abstaining in last week’s crunch vote on the latest iteration of the migrant deportation plan.

You can read the full story here.

10:03 AM GMT

Sunak ‘absolutely the right person’ to lead the UK, says minister

A minister insisted Rishi Sunak is “absolutely the right person” to the lead the UK to a “brighter future”.

Kevin Hollinrake, a business minister, dismissed Sir Simon Clarke’s call to replace Mr Sunak.

He told BBC Breakfast: “What we need to do is hold our nerve, get our heads down over the next 10, 12 months, whatever else it is, to be able to explain to the public why we are the right party to take the country forward, why Rishi Sunak is absolutely the right person to take us into the brighter future that we all want to see.”

Told that Sir Simon had warned the Tories were heading towards an electoral “massacre” under Mr Sunak’s leadership, Mr Hollinrake said: “That is just one person’s view. I don’t think that is representative of how our party feels.”

09:40 AM GMT

Ben Wallace: 'Division and another PM would lead to certain loss of power'

Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary, said Sir Simon Clarke was “wrong” to call for a change in Tory leader.

Mr Wallace warned that “division and another PM would lead to the certain loss of power” for the Conservative Party.

He tweeted:

09:33 AM GMT

Rees-Mogg accuses Lords of ‘attempt to delay’ Rwanda plan

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg accused the House of Lords of an “attempt to frustrate and delay the Government’s migration policy” after it voted on Monday to delay the ratification of the new Rwanda Treaty.

The former business secretary asked whether the upper chamber was on “thin ice” regarding its future if it stood in the way of the deportation plan.

He told GB News: “So the real question is, is the House of Lords on thin ice? There was a big attempt to reform it under the coalition. There’s a feeling that appointed peers don’t have legitimacy. And it’s gotten much more deeply involved in the weeds of politics, particularly Conservative politics in recent years.

“Is this something that a democracy can cope with or are the benefits of the House of Lords still sufficient to outweigh this obstacle?”

09:21 AM GMT

Royal Mail must continue to be six-day service, says postal affairs minister

Postal affairs minister Kevin Hollinrake said the Government was committed to a six-day service from Royal Mail after Ofcom published options to overhaul deliveries.

Recommendations under consideration could see Royal Mail shift to a five or even three-day service.

But Mr Hollinrake told Times Radio: “The Prime Minister has been very clear on this, six-day delivery is really important for many people in this country, many of our citizens, but also for many of our businesses.”

He added: “I believe the Royal Mail can build a sustainable model. But that sustainable model must be based on a-six day service.”

09:02 AM GMT

‘Keep quiet,’ Tobias Ellwood tells Sir Simon Clarke

Tobias Ellwood said Sir Simon Clarke and any other Tory MPs who want to get rid of Rishi Sunak should “keep quiet”.

The former minister told Sky News: “To do this months away from the next general election is absolutely shocking and more and more colleagues are openly distancing themselves from Simon Clarke.”

He added: “I do urge him and others to think really carefully about what they are doing…”

08:44 AM GMT

Tory MP blasts ‘dangerous, reckless, selfish’ call to oust Sunak

Former minister Tobias Ellwood accused Sir Simon Clarke of “throwing his teddies in the corner” with his call to oust Rishi Sunak.

Mr Ellwood said the call was “dangerous, reckless, selfish, it is also defeatist”.

He told Sky News: “There is shock and disappointment in what he [Sir Simon] is doing. We are just moving into calmer waters thanks to the leadership of Rishi Sunak.

“It’s been a bumpy couple of years and now he is doing this, throwing his teddies in the corner because his choice of prime minister is no longer in No 10.

“It is not only dangerous, reckless, selfish, it is also defeatist because what the electorate want to see, they want to see leadership, they want to see a good manifesto with policies in it but they also want to see unity.”

08:27 AM GMT

Labour: Tories forming ‘another circular firing squad’

Labour claimed the Tories were forming “another circular firing squad”.

Pat McFadden, Labour’s national campaign coordinator, said that while the Conservatives “fight among themselves, Labour will fight for a better future for the country”.

He said: “Labour will focus on serving the British people whilst the Tories form another circular firing squad.

“There are many good reasons for getting rid of this clapped out Conservative government and liberating the British people from endless bouts of Tory infighting is certainly one of them.

“Whilst the Conservatives fight among themselves, Labour will fight for a better future for the country, where economic growth is felt in every part of Britain, where we generate the wealth we need for the NHS, good schools and safety on our streets and where we renew the country after 14 years of Tory failure.”

08:14 AM GMT

Sir Liam Fox: 'Not the time for self indulgence and tribalism'

08:07 AM GMT

Tories ‘fighting like rats in a sack’, say Lib Dems

The Liberal Democrats accused the Tories of “fighting like rats in a sack” as the party responded to Sir Simon Clarke’s call to replace Rishi Sunak as leader.

Daisy Cooper, the deputy leader of the Lib Dems, said: “It is utterly ludicrous that the Conservative Party is even discussing installing a fourth Prime Minister without giving voters a say.

“The Conservatives are once again fighting like rats in a sack while families face soaring bills and an NHS crisis.

“People are sick and tired of this never-ending Conservative Party soap opera. It’s time for Rishi Sunak to give voters the chance to put an end to this farce and call a general election.”

07:48 AM GMT

‘Of course, some people panic at a difficult time’

Kevin Hollinrake, a business minister, suggested that there was some “panic” behind Sir Simon Clarke’s call for a new Tory leader.

He told Times Radio: “Of course, some people panic at a difficult time. This is not the overwhelming view of the party.”

07:44 AM GMT

Tory MPs 'overwhelmingly' in support of Rishi Sunak, says minister

Business minister Kevin Hollinrake firmly rejected the call by Sir Simon Clarke for the Tories to replace Rishi Sunak as leader, insisting the “vast majority” of Conservative MPs “overwhelmingly” back the Prime Minister.

Mr Hollinrake cited Mr Sunak’s achievements in office, telling Times Radio: “I don’t think he [Sir Simon] is right.

“The parliamentary party and the wider party is overwhelmingly in support of the Prime Minister and quite rightly too.”

Asked if he believed Mr Sunak was an electoral asset, Mr Hollinrake said “absolutely I do”.

“The vast majority of people in our parliamentary party, our wider party, completely support Rishi Sunak,” he said.

07:38 AM GMT

Senior Tories round on Sir Simon Clarke after call to replace Sunak

Senior Tory MPs have rounded on Sir Simon Clarke after his call to oust Rishi Sunak as Conservative infighting broke out into the open.

The former Cabinet minister said in a piece for The Telegraph that Mr Sunak must be replaced or the Tories will face an electoral “massacre” at the next general election.

But Dame Priti Patel, the former home secretary, and Sir David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, hit back and warned against engaging in “facile and divisive self indulgence”.

Dame Priti said: “At this critical time for our country, with challenges at home and abroad, our party must focus on the people we serve and deliver for the country. Engaging in facile and divisive self indulgence only serves our opponents, it’s time to unite and get on with the job.”

Sir David tweeted: “This is getting silly. The Party and the country are sick and tired of MPs putting their own leadership ambitions ahead of the UK’s best interests.”

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