Inside Tory civil war as 18 MPs have already sent letters to oust Rishi Sunak
As the Tory great and the good sipped on Pol Roger champagne at the Spectator magazine’s Christmas drinks party, suddenly everyone started to look at their phones.
Rishi Sunak’s long time pal Robert Jenrick had quit as Immigration Minister in a row over legislation aimed at finally getting the Rwanda migrant plan off the ground. “It’s over,” cried one of the guests now convinced this Conservative Government is now in its death throes after 13 years in power.
One senior Tory aide joked that Mr Jenrick should be “referred to Prevent”, the Government’s anti-terrorism programme for people at risk of being radicalised. The mild-mannered MP, who most voters would struggle to recognise, has gone from being one of the PM’s most loyal allies to quitting because he does not think immigration plans are tough enough after a little over a year at the Home Office.
His resignation came two hours after Mr Sunak had pleaded with a meeting of Tory MPs that they needed to “unite or die”. Rumours had swirled that he was quitting after he was noticeably absent as the Home Secretary gave a statement to the Commons. In his excoriating resignation letter, Mr Jenrick warned Mr Sunak that his plans were “a triumph of hope over experience” in a barb that would sting. The PM hit back in his reply, accusing his friend-turned-foe of a “fundamental misunderstanding” of the issues.
A tetchy Mr Sunak tried to steady the ship with a hastily arranged Downing Street press conference this morning when he set out why he believes he is taking the right approach. But attention in Westminster is now turning to whether more senior Tories could follow Mr Jenrick out of the door.
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According to party sources, hardliners Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith - who are both Conservative Deputy Chairmen - are under pressure to show if they are “all mouth”. It is understood some Parliamentary Private Secretaries - who are the lowest rung on the ministerial ladder - also are thinking about walking.
And even more worryingly for No10, many are now guessing how many letters have been submitted to 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady that could trigger a challenge to his leadership. One Tory rebel says they personally know the names of 18 MPs who had already put in letters of no confidence even before the resignation of Mr Jenrick.
If 53 submit letters then Mr Sunak will face a vote of all Conservative MPs on whether he should remain as party leader. It is difficult to see how they would explain to voters how they are fit to govern if they knife him and move onto their fourth PM in 18 months.
But as one insider warned: “The unimaginable is now starting to look under-priced.”
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