Rishi Sunak fuels speculation of Coronation plot to ensure Labour-Lib Dem pact after next election

RISHI Sunak has fuelled speculation of a ‘Coronation plot’ to ensure a Labour-Lib Dem pact after the next election.

The Prime Minister said Sir Keir Starmer and Sir Ed Davey could have held talks as they sat together ahead of King Charles’ crowning ceremony.

The Labour chief said the party was on course for victory after inflicting heavy town hall losses on the Tories – but has refused to rule out working with the Lib Dems if he falls short.

Mr Sunak, speaking to the Mail on Sunday, said: “I think what Sir Keir and Sir Ed want to discuss is for them and they can discuss all the plots and coalitions that they want…I’ll leave that to Sir Keir and Sir Ed.

“Maybe that’s what they were chatting about at the Coronation.

“I don’t know.”

Meanwhile, Grant Shapps says the Tories are “buzzing with ideas” as he played down unrest amongst backbench MPs after the local elections.

The Energy Secretary says there is a “steely determination” despite losing more than 1,000 town hall seats and scaling back plans to ditch EU laws.

The comments came after a gathering of Tory grandees at the Conservative Democratic Organisation on Saturday which levelled stinging criticism at the party hierarchy.

Mr Shapps said: “I don’t have to agree with everything that everybody says to welcome the very fundamental fact that we’re still the party coming up with new ideas, with a vision for the United Kingdom, and I think that is a good thing.”

Ministers have been under immense pressure from Brexiteers in the past week after a decision to revoke only 600 retained EU laws rather than the 4,000 pledged.