Tory rebels on warpath after MP defects to Labour

 Group of MPs plot ‘100 Days to Save Britain’ including plan to back Mordaunt for leader after Dr Dan Poulter crosses the floor

Source - Daily Telegraph 27/04/24

Conservative rebels are working on a 100-day roadmap to turn around the party’s fortunes after a Tory MP defected to the Labour Party.

A group of Conservative MPs has crafted a “100 days to save Britain” plan including “quick wins” to convince colleagues to oust the Prime Minister and unite around Penny Mordaunt, the current Leader of the Commons.

It comes as Dr Dan Poulter, a former Tory minister, crossed the floor on Saturday to join the Labour Party just days before the local elections, cutting Rishi Sunak’s majority to 49.

Dr Poulter is the second person to defect to a rival party under Mr Sunak’s leadership, claiming that only the Labour Party could “cure” the NHS.

Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, welcomed Dr Poulter to his party and said it was “time to end the Conservative chaos”.

His defection sparked bitter words from his constituency association. Sam Murray, a Suffolk County councillor, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Good riddance. So glad I no longer have to apologise for his failure to turn up in North Ipswich regularly.”

A Conservative Party spokesman said that Dr Poulter’s defection would be “disappointing” for his constituents.

Rebel insiders say a “policy blitz” would follow the ousting of Mr Sunak, featuring a budget that prioritises tax cuts to show “we are on the side of working people”, and pledges on immigration, the NHS, crime and welfare spending.

They hope that their plans will encourage other MPs to submit letters of no confidence in Mr Sunak to the 1922 Committee in the event of disastrous local election results.

One Tory rebel told The Telegraph: “The reality is that we are facing an extinction-level event.”

“It’s for colleagues to decide if they want to go down with the sinking ship,” they added.

The strategy – inspired by US speaker Newt Gingrich’s successful Contract with America, which revived Republican fortunes in 1994 – would focus on “quick wins” and manifesto promises. A general election would be held following a wave of policy announcements.

Senior figures from both the One Nation caucus – the moderate wing of the party – as well as those on the Right are involved in the discussions.

On Saturday night, Ms Mordaunt distanced herself from the plotters, with sources close to the Cabinet minister saying it is “codswallop”.

They added that talk of a leadership coup is “unhelpful idle speculation when we should all be focussed on winning votes for Thursday”.

A source on the Tory Right told The Telegraph that there is a whipping operation underway to keep track of the number of MPs who have submitted letters of no confidence in Mr Sunak.

‘Definitely an operation around Penny’

Mr Sunak would face a vote on his leadership if 52 of his MPs, amounting to 15 per cent of the parliamentary party, submitted such letters to Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee.

The plotters believe that Mr Sunak would likely win the vote, but would then “be persuaded that his position is untenable”, leading him to “do the honourable thing and step aside”.

One senior MP from the moderate wing of the Conservative Party said: “The only version that could possibly work, the least-bad option, is a straightforward coronation for a new leader. This all just stems from frustration with Rishi. It is such a feeble straw – but people say it’s the only straw in town.”

A former Cabinet minister added that there is “definitely an operation around Penny”, adding that she never dismantled her support base from the previous leadership campaign and has “about 70” MP backers.

Details of the plot to oust Mr Sunak come as Conservative MPs are braced for disastrous local election results this week. Richard Holden, the Tory party chair, admitted these will be “tough, tough, tough local elections for us, especially given the national polling position.”

Several MPs believe the only way the results could be presented as a success is if the two Tory mayors – Andy Street in the West Midlands and Lord Houchen in the Tees Valley – are re-elected.

‘We’ve made our bed and now we have to lie in it’

Some senior figures in the party have warned against a change in leaders. Sir Kenneth Baker, who was Margaret Thatcher’s last party chairman, said a new prime minister would be a “death wish” for the Tories.

“Any attempt to try and replace Rishi after the May elections is an absurdity, it would be a death wish for the party,” he said. “One has to keep Rishi until the general election.”

Meanwhile, another veteran MP said that he sympathised with many of his colleagues who are “looking down the barrel of a gun” and therefore “seriously thinking” about leadership change. But he said this would be “barking”, adding: “We’ve made our bed and now we have to lie in it.”

A government source said: “It’s been a tough time for us all dealing with the aftershock of Covid and the war in Ukraine, both to the country’s finances and public services, but we are now turning a corner with inflation halved, interest rates set to fall and the economy forecast to grow.

“The PM is focused on delivering on our plan and taking the fight to Labour who have no plan for the country apart from to spend beyond our means and raise taxes. They would take us right back to square one.”

Sir Keir Starmer said: “It’s fantastic to welcome Dr Dan Poulter MP to today’s changed Labour Party.

“It’s time to end the Conservative chaos, turn the page, and get Britain’s future back. I’m really pleased that Dan has decided to join us on this journey.”