Tories attack plot to dump Rishi Sunak led by Liz Truss ally

A fresh civil war has erupted within the Conservatives after a top ally of Liz Truss and Boris Johnson called for Rishi Sunak to be sacked and replaced.

Former cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke said the Tories would be “massacred” at the coming election unless the party has a new leader.

But senior Tories lashed out at his “foolish” and “facile” move, while former defence secretary Ben Wallace warned it was “division and another PM (that) would lead to the certain loss of power” for the party.

As his attempted coup fizzled to a halt even his allies turned on him. Organisers made clear he would not now speak at a Popular Conservativism conference next month, even though posters for the event bear his picture. A source told the Independent that they had “dumped” him.

Supporters of Mr Sunak suspect the intervention of Sir Simon, who was levelling up secretary in Ms Truss’ cabinet and awarded a knighthood by Mr Johnson, is the latest evidence of a carefully planned right-wing plot against the PM.

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Tory loyalists said the orchestrated campaign to remove Mr Sunak included:

Writing in the DailyTelegraph, Sir Simon dubbed Mr Sunak’s leadership “uninspiring” and said he was “the main obstacle to our recovery”.

“The unvarnished truth is that Rishi Sunak is leading the Conservatives into an election where we will be massacred,” he wrote.

His piece prompted fury from MPs loyal to Mr Sunak but little support from MPs on the right of the party, including those worried the prime minister will lead them to electoral defeat.

A leading member of one of the right-wing groups said: “We did not know it was coming. There was no co-ordination with us” but said he was not surprised MPs were not openly backing Sir Simon.

“In politics you have to have a defined destination. But nobody knows where this would lead to. So why would you come out and say anything?”, he said.

Alongside Mr Clarke’s op-ed was a YouGov opinion poll, the second in as many weeks, this time suggesting a Tory leader with core Conservative policies could beat Labour.

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Critics were quick to point out both surveys was commissioned by the same group of shadowy Tory donors – known solely as the Conservative Britain Alliance – led by the long-standing Sunak critic Lord Frost.

Home secretary James Cleverly said it was “foolish” for Mr Clarke to indulge in infighting, warning “all it would do is open the door” for Labour.

Former minister Stephen Hammond told Sir Simon he should shut up unless he wanted the “extinction” of the Tory party.

Business minister Kevin Hollinrake admitted that “panic” in the Tory ranks was behind Sir Simon’s, telling Times Radio: “Of course, some people panic at a difficult time. (But) this is not the overwhelming view of the party.”

There was very limited support for Sir Simon’s call. Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns, who has previously called for Mr Sunak to go, predicted more letters calling for a leadership challenge would be submitted.

Boris-backers the Conservative Democratic Organisation also said “urgent change” was needed.

But with his attempted rebellion effectively over Sir Simon took to the airwaves to describe himself as a soothsayer.

He likened himself to a disliked man shouting “iceberg” as he appeared to compare the Tories to the Titanic.

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As well as Sir Simon Tory MPs rounded on his allies.

Conor Burns, a minister in Ms Truss’ short-lived government, said the former PM and her allies should “shut up”.

One senior Tory MP told The Independent that Sir Simon was “flying a kite that’s already broken” – and they did not expect many of his fellow right-wing Rwanda rebels to join him in his call.

Other loyal Conservative MPs largely rallied around the PM. Senior Conservatives said Mr Clarke had “lost his senses”. According to one report, one called Sir Simon a “self indulgent tosser”.

Former Tory minister Sir David Davis called his intervention “silly”. And Priti Patel, the right-wing former home secretary, said: “Engaging in facile and divisive self-indulgence only serves our opponents.”

Former trade secretary Sir Liam Fox said those attempting to “destabilise the government in an election year should understand the consequences”.

Tory minister Andrew Bowie used choicer language when he used a WhatsApp group to tell fellow Tory MPs to “get a f***ing grip”, according to The Times.

Senior Tories also made lampooned Sir Simon’s attempts. Former minister Tobias Ellwood accused the Truss loyalist of “throwing his teddies in the corner” because “his choice of prime minister is no longer in No 10”.

The risk remains that a silent yet significant group who support Mr Clarke’s comments will submit no-confidence letters in Mr Sunak to the 1922 committee of backbench MPs.

One of the few who backed Sir Simon, Nadine Dorries, suggested that the foreign secretary Lord Cameron should return to Downing Street.

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The Independent understands former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, thought to be eyeing up a leadership bid, does not intend to back Sir Simon.

The row follows the most testing week of Mr Sunak’s premiership, in which he managed to stave off a right-wing rebellion on his flagship Rwanda legislation.

Sixty conservative MPs signed rebel amendments to Mr Sunak’s legislation, dealing serious blow to the prime minister’s authority.