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Tory MPs are bracing for fresh intrigue against Rishi Sunak following local elections in England and Wales.
Although most backbenchers insist they remain loyal to the prime minister, many expect a small group of rebels to renew their attempts to replace him before the general election.
Mayoral elections in the West Midlands and Tees Valley, both currently held by the Conservative Party, are seen as key to whether Mr Sunak faces a formal challenge in the coming days.
One member of parliament said: I: “We think there will be some mischief over the weekend.” They warned of further cultural divisions within the party, saying: “We’ve always been a broad church that tolerates people with different opinions. But we’ve lost that now – everyone is either a devil or a hero.”
The Conservatives are widely expected to lose at least 300 councilors, as well as a by-election in Blackpool South and a number of high-profile mayoral races.
West Midlands mayor Andy Street and Tees Valley’s Ben Houchen are both seeking re-election, but have downplayed their links to the Conservative Party and used Boris Johnson’s support in their campaign materials. ing.
One backbencher predicted that the fate of the two men would determine whether Mr Sunak was in trouble, saying: “Unless the result is an absolute disaster and we lose all the mayoral races, it won’t be over.” he said. But if you want to keep either the West Mids or the Tees Valley, that’s fine. ”
One government insider added: “We will take a hit, but Rishi should still have something to hang on to.”
Another government official said the rebel operation was the work of “one man and his dog,” adding: “There’s no discernible evidence that anything happened. But that doesn’t mean there’s no need to be alarmed. there is no.”
Two of Mr Johnson’s closest aides were the only Conservative MPs to publicly call for the Prime Minister’s resignation before the general election. He will face a vote of confidence if 52 MPs submit a letter to backbench leader Sir Graham Brady requesting a vote of confidence.
Chris Hopkins of the polling firm Savanta said: conservative home: ‘The reaction of MPs and activists to these results is likely to depend on what happens in both the West Midlands and the Tees Valley. If the Conservatives lose one or both of them. If so, the vultures on the back bench are likely to start circling.”
Asked what the prime minister’s message was to potential rebels, a spokesperson said: ”
But Jeremy Hunt admitted on Wednesday that he expected the Conservatives to suffer a crushing defeat, telling Sky News: As you know, we have been in power for a long time, and incumbent governments are often punished in local elections. The same thing happened to Tony Blair in 2001 and 2005. And we expect tomorrow to be a difficult day. ”
As well as the Tees Valley and West Midlands, the East Midlands and North Yorkshire could also see close mayoral elections. Both regions were dominated by the Conservative Party in the last general election, but are areas where Labor is hoping to make strides.
The Conservatives expect to lose Blackpool South, where former Conservative MP Scott Benton was caught up in a newspaper sting trying to break House of Commons rules by lobbying gambling companies. Reform UK’s strong performance could also cause anxiety on the backbench.