Tory right ‘plotting Liz Truss-style leader to replace Sunak post-election

Sign up for the View from Westminster electronic mail for knowledgeable evaluation straight to your inbox

Get our free View from Westminster electronic mail

Tory right-wingers have hatched a plot to set up a Liz Truss-style leader within the wake of a looming common election wipeout in a transfer that would see the Conservatives shift additional to the right in opposition.

The so-called Popular Conservatism (PopCons) motion, whose launch Ms Truss spoke at in February, is hoping to guarantee a free-market libertarian Tory wins the anticipated management election to observe.

It comes as a serious ballot put the Conservatives on target to maintain simply 90 seats on the election, down from 364 in 2019, with Labour on target to win 459.

The historic defeat would possible see Rishi Sunak step down, ushering in a contest to take over as Tory leader.

The PopCons, now fronted by former Institute for Economic Affairs director Mark Littlewood, whom Ms Truss tried to grant a peerage, has developed a plan to make sure the group’s most well-liked candidate can win.

Mr Littlewood has reportedly instructed pals that the PopCons’ candidate of selection will want the backing of 70 MPs and 70,000 Tory members.

Sources working with PopCon instructed The Times that Priti Patel was the group’s favoured candidate if Mr Sunak loses the following election and stands down.

One instructed the paper: “There’s a war going on, and we’re going to win it. We need to reinvigorate the free market perspective within the Conservative party.”

Another mentioned: “Team Liz are comfortable with PopCon being in part an apparatus for Priti’s leadership bid. She’s Liz’s preferred candidate, no doubt.”

But a average Conservative MP instructed The Independent {that a} lurch to the right after electoral defeat can be a “failure to learn the lesson of 1997” and would ship the occasion right into a “doom spiral”.

William Hague, who succeeded John Major after Tony Blair’s landslide win, was criticised for taking the occasion to the right in a bid to enchantment to core supporters however failing to attain the broader voters.

The senior Tory MP who spoke to The Independent was extra optimistic than latest polls, which have pointed to the Tories falling to under 100 seats, however mentioned the Conservatives can be “lucky” to get 200.

It comes amid repeated hypothesis a couple of group of so-called “plotters” who may even attempt to take away Mr Sunak earlier than the election. The PM is going through a gruelling set of native elections on 2 May, which may see the Conservatives lose a whole bunch of native council seats and even key Tory metro mayors.

Ms Truss has dominated out operating to be Tory leader once more herself, however has defended her disastrous premiership by saying she was “not given a realistic chance to enact my policies by a very powerful economic establishment, coupled with a lack of political support”.

Other MPs believed to be prepping bids for the following management race are defence secretary Grant Shapps and leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt.

Former dwelling secretary Suella Braverman and ex-immigration minister Robert Jenrick are additionally anticipated to stand.

Business secretary Kemi Badenoch can be seen as a possible contender within the contest.