According to The Mail on Sunday, Rishi Sunak’s allies are preparing to install the former Chancellor at No. 10 as part of a “coronation” if Liz Truss’s government is toppled as a result of the mini-Budget.
The MPs who support Mr. Sunak believe that the leadership rules need to be scrapped in order to give MPs the exclusive authority to choose Ms. Truss’ replacement without the protracted courtship of party members that resulted in Ms. Truss replacing Boris Johnson last month.
Even by Tory Party standards, backbenches planning was at fever pitch when Ms. Truss arrived at the Tory Party convention in Birmingham.
Along with Mr. Sunak, Boris Johnson backers have discussed voting against the budgetary measures in the bill in order to topple the government and install Mr. Johnson as “caretaker” prime minister.
However, Mr. Johnson’s friends say that it is “too soon” for him to come back.
One last attempt for the leadership is allegedly being planned by Michael Gove, who is scheduled to speak at nine events at the conference; however, his allies fiercely deny this.
One of Mr. Sunak’s followers said yesterday night that Ms. Truss was “done” and suggested that the party hold another leadership election similar to the one held in 2003, when Michael Howard was elected without opposition.
According to the senior Tory, “Rishi is the only solution.” You choose to be crowned.
After one survey showing Labour a significant 33-point advantage, Red Wall MPs who were just elected three years before expressed concern that Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-Budget might lose them their seats.
The optics of these tax cuts for the rich are so terrible, one person observed. “We have worked so hard to do better with lower class folks.”
Even some who supported Liz during the leadership race believe she has had enough, the MP continued. Most of the discussions center on how to get rid of her.
Even a former minister who supported tax reductions expressed regret over the mini-execution, Budget’s saying it had jeopardized the party’s revered image for financial acumen.
And that’s like virginity, he said. You can’t really get something back once you lose it.
However, one former cabinet minister said that speculating about another leadership transition was “madness.” Anyone who suggests that we can replace Liz needs counseling, he said.
According to Tory Party regulations, Ms. Truss is shielded from any leadership challenges for a period of a year and that, as was the case last summer, the final two contenders in any campaign must be chosen by party members.
However, a backbencher who was elected to the Commons in 2019 said yesterday night that the rules could easily be modified if Tory MPs wanted Ms. Truss removed.
The Parliamentary party and the party board, he remarked, “may do what it wants in the end.”
Supporters of Mr. Sunak acknowledged that replacing the leader once again so quickly would be humiliating but that it may prevent a loss in the general election.
One important Rishi backer acknowledged that we would seem chaotic. However, you have to have faith that after 18 months with Rishi at the helm, things will be better.
A second MP who supported Ms Truss said that her colleagues were talking about a candidate for “unity,” and that Liz would hold Gove responsible.
One dissident Tory said last night that Ms. Truss might save face by giving a speech at the conference that was better than anticipated.
I don’t believe that will happen, he cautioned.
Labour insiders acknowledged last night that they were “in negotiations” with outraged Conservative MPs about blocking the tax reduction in the Commons.
‘These so-called friends of Liz should stop worrying over Gove and concentrate on clearing out the mess they’ve made,’ said a friend of Mr. Gove.