Tories Heading For An Electoral ‘Iceberg’ Under Rishi Sunak, Says Simon Clarke

The Tories are heading towards an electoral “iceberg” unless Rishi Sunak is dumped as leader, Simon Clarke has warned.

The former cabinet minister – who last night called for the prime minister to be ousted by his MPs – said the Conservatives are heading for “a shattering defeat” unless they change course.

His comments, in an interview with the BBC, is a further challenge to Sunak’s authority as he struggles to turn around his party’s fortunes.

In an article in today’s Daily Telegraph, Clarke said the Tories were “meekly sleepwalking towards an avoidable annihilation” with Sunak at the helm.

That led to a furious backlash from senior Conservatives, including former ministers David Davis, Liam Fox and Priti Patel.

But Clarke told the BBC he was undeterred and re-iterated his desire to see Sunak booted out of No.10 before the general election.

He said: “I’ve incurred some pretty hostile comments from a number of people and look, you know, in every since I’m a big guy, I can take that and I totally respect the strong views that something like this evokes, right.

“No one likes the guy who’s shouting ‘iceberg’. But I suspect that people will be even less happy if we hit the iceberg. And we are on course to do that.”

The former Treasury secretary added: “I want a Conservative government that delivers for communities like mine and for our country. And I really worry that we are on course for a shattering defeat.”

Clarke said it was “a moment of decision for the Conservative Party” and pointed out that the opinion polls had got even worse for the Tories under Sunak.

“There is really compelling evidence that we are on course for what I would say is an avoidable catastrophe,” he said.

“I think there is a very real risk that because we’re not connecting with the British public because, frankly, the prime minister is not listening to the things that the public really wants us to address, in particular on migration, that we end up with a very serious election defeat and then a decade of decline or more under Keir Starmer.”

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Simon Clarke Calls On Rishi Sunak To Be Ousted As Prime Minister

Simon Clarke has called on Rishi Sunak to be ousted as prime minister.

The former cabinet minister said the Tories “will be massacred” if Sunak leads them into the general election.

Clarke – a close ally of former PMs Boris Johnson and Liz Truss – is the first Conservative MP to break ranks and call for Sunak to go.

His dramatic intervention comes after a succession of opinion polls since Christmas showed Labour’s already-huge lead over the Tories getting even bigger.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Clarke said: “I know many MPs are afraid another change of leader would look ridiculous.

“But what could be more ridiculous than meekly sleepwalking towards an avoidable annihilation because we were not willing to listen to what the public are telling us so clearly?”

He added: “We have a clear choice. Stick with Rishi Sunak, take the inevitable electoral consequences, and give the Left a blank cheque to change Britain as they see fit.

“Or we can change leader, and give our country and party a fighting chance.”

Clarke was one of 11 Tory rebels who last week voted against Sunak’s flagship Rwanda bill, saying it would not work.

A Conservative Party spokesperson told The Sun: “This is a self-indulgent attempt to undermine the government at a critical moment for the country.

“He may claim to be helping the party but the only person he is doing any favours for is Sir Keir Starmer.”

Senior Tory MPs rallied round Sunak in the wake of Clarke’s criticism.

Former Brexit secretary David David said: “This is getting silly. The party and the country are sick and tired of MPs putting their own leadership ambitions ahead of the UK’s best interests.”

Former defence secretary Liam Fox said: “This is not the time for self indulgence and tribalism in the party.

“Those who have an agenda to destabilise the government in an election year should understand the consequences. Having been on the front bench for all 13 years in opposition, it is a miserable place. Be warned.”

Meanwhile, ex-home secretary Priti Patel said: “At this critical time for our country, with challenges at home and abroad, our party must focus on the people we serve and deliver for the country.

“Engaging in facile and divisive self indulgence only serves our opponents, it’s time to unite and get on with the job.”

Clarke’s comments come just a week after No.10 election guru Isaac Levido told Tory MPs to unite or lose the next election.

Speaking at a meeting of the backbench 1922 committeem, he said: “Let me be clear. Divided parties fail. It’s time to get serious – I am fighting to win this election, and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe it was possible. We all need to be be fighting to win this election.”

Pat McFadden, Labour’s national campaign co-ordinator, said: “Labour will focus on serving the British people whilst the Tories form another circular firing squad.

“There are many good reasons for getting rid of this clapped out Conservative government and liberating the British people from endless bouts of Tory infighting is certainly one of them.”

Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “It is utterly ludicrous that the Conservative Party is even discussing installing a fourth prime minister without even giving voters a say.

“The Conservatives are once again fighting like rats in a sack while families face soaring bills and an NHS crisis.

“People are sick and tired of this never ending Conservative Party soap opera. It’s time for Rishi Sunak to give voters the chance to put an end to this farce and call a general election.”

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A Cabinet Minster Thinks The Tories Haven’t Had A ‘Clear Run’ Since Coming To Power

A cabinet minister and close Liz Truss ally has argued that the Conservatives have not had a “clear run” in power over the last decade.

Appearing on ITV’s Peston programme, levelling up secretary Simon Clarke, a former top Treasury minister, said that no Conservative government “has had a clear run at events over the entire course of the last decade, it has been one crisis after another”.

Critics pointed to the fall-out from the Brexit referendum – which saw off two Tory prime ministers – as at least one self-inflicted crisis, and how tackling big events is the nature of governance.

Other disruption since the Tories came to power in 2010 includes the Cameron-Osborne austerity programme, the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

His comment appeared to be a justification for moving to an “unashamedly pro-growth policy” under the Truss premiership.

Clarke added: “What Liz is saying is that we need to accept that we may not get back to normal, that if you like, that the world is in an extraordinary state of affairs at the moment and that being so, that we just need to press on and govern, frankly, as we want to be remembered – as a government that makes things better for people.

“And clearly as secretary of state for levelling up, my focus is on life chances, and on spreading opportunity. I’m delighted that we’re moving to an unashamedly pro-growth policy.”

Clarke also admitted the government’s economic policy is not “risk-free” as he said that the Tories wanted to go back to the growth rates seen before the financial crash in 2008, when Labour was in power.

At the the mini-budget on Friday, chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng is expected to put into practice many of the tax-cutting promises made by Truss during the Tory leadership campaign.

As well as reversing the hike in national insurance contributions and scrapping a planned increase in corporation tax, which Truss has promised, it has been reported he will cut stamp duty in a further attempt to drive growth.

On plans to lift the cap on bankers’ bonuses while millions feel the squeeze of the cost-of-living crisis, Clarke also said this would help level up “because there would be more revenue for the exchequer”.

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