Rishi Sunak faces revolt as Tory MP gives brutal warning in no confidence letter
A Tory MP has submitted a letter of no confidence in Rishi Sunak, saying it is time for the Conservative leader "to go" after his shock reshuffle angered the Tory right.
Dame Andrea Jenykns - a Boris Johnson loyalist - hit out at the PM as David Cameron made a surprise return to the top of Government as Foreign Secretary. Mr Sunak also sacked the Home Secretary Suella Braverman after she defied No10 last week to publish an incendiary article on the pro-Palestine march without approval.
Meanwhile Deputy Tory chairman Lee Anderson was among hardline MPs at a meeting in Parliament on Monday where concerns were shared about Mrs Braverman's ousting as home secretary.
In a letter to the chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers Sir Graham Brady, which she posted online, the ex-minister Dame Andrea said: "Enough is enough. If it wasn't bad enough that we have a party leader that the members rejected, the polls demonstrate that the public reject him, and I am in full agreement. It is time for Rishi Sunak to go."
She accused the PM of a "machiavellian involvement" in the downfall of his predecessor Boris Johnson, and hit out at the sacking of Ms Braverman. The Tory MP added: "To be 20 points plus behind in the polls and by-election defeat after defeat. How long are MP's going to sit on their hands and let him and his out-of-touch advisers damage our party irrevocably?"
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She is the first Tory MP to publicly announce she has submitted a no confidence letter to the Prime Minister - and urged other Conservative MPs to "follow suit". Under the party's rules at least 15% of the parliamentary party - over 50 MPs - must submit a letter to Sir Graham to start the firing gun on a possible leadership challenge.
Enough is enough, I have submitted my vote of no confidence letter to the Chairman of the 1922. It is time for Rishi Sunak to go and replace him with a 'real' Conservative party leader. pic.twitter.com/yJmGc14d75
— Andrea Jenkyns MP (@andreajenkyns)
The threshold is unlikely to be met but the letter shows the anger in the right of the party over the decision to sack Ms Braverman in the reshuffle. It is understood Mr Sunak spoke with the former Home Secretary on Monday morning to inform her of the decision after she defied No10 last week.
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The PM spent the weekend weighing up whether to get rid of her after she was accused of inspiring ugly clashes between police and far-right thugs at the Cenotaph. A string of cabinet colleagues distanced themselves from her claim that forces "play favourites" with protest groups as critics demanded her sacking.
James Cleverly was shifted from the Foreign Office to replace Mrs Braverman as Home Secretary. Downing Street also stressed that the Cabinet should always "speak with one voice" in highlighting the importance of collective responsibility binding ministers, explaining Mrs Braverman's sacking.
Around 12 Conservative MPs including former Cabinet minister Simon Clarke attended in person at the New Conservatives grouping led by Danny Kruger and Miriam Cates. Mrs Braverman's close ally Sir John Hayes joined them, as did Mr Anderson, who had publicly backed the sacked home secretary over her allegations of police bias.
The deputy chairman said she was "guilty of saying what most of us are thinking and saying", adding: "Thank goodness we have a Home Secretary who refuses to be cancelled." One member at the meeting told PA the group was "far from pleased". But they indicated none of the members were planning to imminently submit letters.
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