The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Tories determined to fight on – Sunak
Rishi Sunak has insisted the result of the next general election “isn’t a foregone conclusion” and that he is “absolutely determined to fight” on, despite a drubbing for the Tories in the local and mayoral polls.
The prime minister resisted calls from Tory rebels to change political course.
He insisted his party is “united” as he faced cameras for the first time since the release of full results, which saw the Tories lose nearly 500 council seats, the West Midlands mayoral race and the Blackpool South by-election.
Mr Sunak stuck to his earlier prediction that the UK was on course for a hung Parliament.
The claim was based on Sky News analysis of the local election results which suggested Labour would be the largest party in a hung Parliament, but voters in national polls tend to vote differently, with fewer picking smaller parties.
Yesterday, Mr Sunak said, while visiting a north London community centre: “The independent analysis shows that whilst of course this was a disappointing weekend for us, that the result of the next general election isn’t a foregone conclusion, and indeed actually is closer than, or the situation is closer than, many people are saying or indeed some of the opinion polls are predicting.
“And that’s why I’m absolutely determined to fight incredibly hard for what I believe and for the future country that I want to build, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Former home secretary Suella Braverman has urged Mr Sunak to move to the right to win back voters, while Tory moderates say he must keep to the centre ground.
Asked if he would be making changes, Mr Sunak said: “I’m determined more than ever to demonstrate to the country that we are making progress on the areas that matter to them and we are going to deliver for them.”
He pointed to national insurance cuts, inflation falling, sweeping welfare reforms, the Rwanda deportation scheme being implemented and the defence spending hike.
He evaded questions about pressure from opposing sides of his party, saying: “What unites all members of our party, MPs and beyond, are our values as Conservatives and the type of country that we want to build.”
Mr Sunak earlier told the Times Labour would fall short of enough seats to win power, but Ben Page, CEO of polling firm Ipsos, said that prediction of a hung Parliament was “for the birds”, pointing to Labour’s resounding win in the Blackpool South byelection and the local election results saying: “We haven’t seen anything of this kind since just before Labour won a landslide in 1997.”
The PM’s projection assumes Labour would keep just one Scottish seat despite expectations the opposition would do better there this general election.
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey plans to table a motion of no confidence in the government when Parliament returns today, in a bid to pressure Mr Sunak into calling a June general election.
However, even if other parties back such a vote, it is unlikely to pass given the Tories retain a majority.
Labour Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds said: “People on Thursday voted to turn the page on 14 years of chaos and decline.
“Rishi Sunak doesn’t get it. He needs to work up the courage to call the general election that people desperately want.”