PM not ‘under threat’ from Tory mutineers even if govt gets thumped in local elections, says Kemi Badenoch
THE Prime Minister isn’t “under threat” from Tory mutineers even if he receives a beating in today’s local elections, Kemi Badenoch has said.
The Trade Secretary insisted Rishi Sunak is safe despite plotters creating a “lot of noise” about a change of leadership after heavy poll losses.
The Conservatives today face the prospect of losing more than 500 council seats, the West Midlands and Tees Valley mayoralties, and a by-election loss in Blackpool South.
When asked if the PM was safe even if the Tories suffer a defeat, Ms Badenoch said: “I think that’s right.”
She added: “There’s a lot of noise being made by people who want to get attention but the Prime Minister has the full backing of the Cabinet, he has my full backing.”
Plotters want a no confidence vote in a last attempt to stave off election oblivion.
Ms Badenoch’s backing came as Sir Keir Starmer taunted the PM after Dan Poulter defected to Labour.
Sir Keir claimed Tory MPs are following the voters and “queuing up to dump” the Conservative party.
The PM faces mounting pressure as most of the seats being contested were last up for election in 2021 — at the peak of Boris Johnson’s popularity after the Covid vaccine roll-out.
Eleven mayoral contests are taking place with London Mayor Sadiq Khan holding a ten-point lead over Tory challenger Susan Hall.
The key battlegrounds are in the West Midlands and Tees Valley, as Andy Street and Ben Houchen look to hold on to their mayoralty.
The Tories are set to lose Blackpool South after MP Scott Benton stood down.
But Rishi Sunak told party staff at their London HQ that they can be part of “the greatest comeback in political history”.
Political scientist Professor Sir John Curtice said: “For Rishi Sunak, he is trying to give his party a glimmer of hope that maybe not all is lost.
“For Sir Keir Starmer, he is looking for affirmation that the Labour Party is indeed so far ahead.”