PM-bashing on the agenda as Boris loyalist group holds its first meeting

RISHI Sunak will receive a mauling from Boris Johnson loyalists today at the first gathering of a new Tory grassroots group.

The Prime Minister will be attacked at the Conservative Democratic Organisation conference over his party’s dire performance at last week’s local elections, and will face warnings that the Tories will lose power at the next general election unless he cuts the tax burden.

There will be renewed criticism of how he entered No10 in the autumn without a vote from the party faithful, after triggering the downfall of Mr Johnson by quitting as Chancellor then losing the subsequent leadership contest to Liz Truss.

The CDO, which is backed by Conservative former co-treasurer Lord Cruddas, is calling for a root-and-branch reform of the party to make it more accountable to ordinary members.

This would include introducing an elected chairman, allowing local associations to choose candidates and giving members more say over policy. At today’s conference in Bournemouth, former home secretary Priti Patel will accuse CCHQ of being out of touch with the party activists who spend their time knocking on doors and facing voters.

‘Perhaps if they spent more time with us, they would be more in touch with the people and with our values,’ she will say.

‘And perhaps if they did that, last week we would not have seen 1,000 of our friends and colleagues lose their seats in the local elections and dozens of councils fall out of Conservative control.’

She will say the party was greatly damaged by the loss of Mr Johnson as PM, and will add: ‘If we carry on with managed decline there won’t be a future for Conservative values and beliefs’.

Ex-culture secretary Nadine Dorries and ex-Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, allies of Mr Johnson, will also address the conference.

Conservative Party vicechairman Paul Holmes is due to attend and respond on behalf of CCHQ.