Suella Braverman in attack on PM saying Tories will be 'lucky' to have any MPs

05 May 2024 , 07:23

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Suella Braverman in attack on PM saying Tories will be 'lucky' to have any MPs

Suella Braverman has launched a savage attack on Rishi Sunak - saying she regrets supporting him for leader.

The sacked former Home Secretary said the Tories will be "lucky" to have any MPs left after the general election. She said that colleagues are "demoralised" as she pinned the blame for the local elections drubbing on the PM.

Speaking on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, she said: "Rishi Sunak has been Prime Minister for about 18 months. He's been making these decisions. These are the consequences of those decisions. He needs to own this, and that's what he needs to fix it."

Ms Braverman stopped short of calling for the PM to go, admitting there is no "Superman or Superwoman" ready to take on the huge challenge. She said: "I talk to many of my colleagues who are privately demoralised and incredibly concerned about their prospects. You know, we'll be lucky to have any Conservative MPs at the next election and we need to fight."

Suella Braverman has lashed out at Rishi Sunak

Asked if she regretted supporting Mr Sunak, she told Ms Kuenssberg: "Honestly, yes, I do, because I had assurances from Rishi Sunak. He was going to put a cap on illegal migration, he was going to do something about the European Convention on Human Rights, he was going to fix this transgender ideology in our schools. He hasn't done that."

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It came after she hit out at the PM in the Sunday Telegraph, warning that defeats across the country will look like a "mere tremor" on general election night if the PM doesn't get his act together. While Tory plotters appear to have thrown in the towel for now, a senior Conservative branded Mr Sunak a "lame duck".

Ms Braverman said it's now down to the PM to sort out the mess the party's in - but said changing leader now won't work. She wrote: "The hole to dig us out is the PM's, and it's time for him to start shovelling."

The Tories lost control of 10 councils and over 470 seats as voters delivered their verdict in devastating style. West Midlands mayor Andy Street was among the high-profile casualties in a backlash against Government chaos.

Rishi Sunak has been branded a 'lame duck' as Tory anger grows (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Ms Braverman said she and colleagues had "shed tears of sadness" as Conservative councillors were cast out. She said No10 should take little comfort in one of the only Tory victories - Ben Houchen clinging on in Tees Valley - branding it an "outlier". She demanded the PM "change course" and claimed she'd been confronted on doorsteps by voters who told her: "Show some backbone."

But Ms Braverman said the Government should claim no credit for that win. She wrote: "It would be reckless to treat the victory in Teeside as evidence of the path to victory at the general election. Ben Houchen's win is an outlier, focussed on his leadership and thanks to his delivery, not the Government's." She said the huge losses and "crushing defeat" in London - along with losses in Dorset and North Yorkshire give a better view.

She concluded: "Either we start fighting to win now, or we'll have no one else to blame when this week's political earthquake is made to look like a mere tremor come the general election night."

Her intervention comes as a disgruntled senior Tory told the Sunday Express: "Rishi must take a lot of the blame for what's happened. He's a lame duck and it looks like we'll all be limping on to defeat at the general election now."

Tory plotters appear to have put down their arms after Lord Houchen held onto the Tees Valley mayoralty and the party narrowly beat Reform UK in the Blackpool South by-election - two key tests for Mr Sunak.

Right-winger Andrea Jenkyns, who submitted a no-confidence letter in the PM last year, conceded: "MPs are not putting the letters in, and it is not going anywhere." But she warned Mr Sunak that the Tories were "staring down the barrel of a gun" and called for a return to "common sense Conservatism".

Sir John Hayes, an ally of Ms Braverman, demanded a Cabinet reshuffle to bring back "the authentic Tory part of the Conservative Party". He told TimesRadio: "I believe Suella leaving the top table wasn't great from that point of view. Leaving aside her talents and abilities, which the Government could well do with."

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Transport Secretary Mark Harper was left squirming after he was confronted on Sky News if it's "morally right" that the third most popular party is "squatting in Downing Street" after the Tories slumped behind the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Harper retorted: "I don't accept that analysis at all." The top Tory insisted the party could still win the election.

He told Sky News: "There is a fight to be had, the Prime Minister is up for that fight, I am up for that fight, and I know the Conservative Party is up for it. We have to focus on delivering on people's priorities, that is what the Prime Minister is doing, and then we have to get out there and sell that message, and then set out what we do after an election with a Conservative victory."

Lizzy Buchan