Allies of the Prime Minister have come to his defence after Penny Mordaunt failed to distance herself from rumours that she is seeking to take over from Rishi Sunak as leader of the Tory party.
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan-Smith told GB News that MPs have to "stop turning inwards on ourselves and start trying to get behind the idea that we've got an election to fight".
MPs from the right of the party are said to have held talks about putting the current Leader of the House of Commons in charge of the party amid growing concern over the direction of Sunak's leadership and devastating poll ratings.
Addressing the rumours, Duncan-Smith said: "Rishi is here and we have to get behind him. I'd take a lot of persuading. It's not a short-term process."
Allies of the Prime Minister have come to his defence after Penny Mordaunt failed to distance herself from rumours that she is seeking to take over from Rishi Sunak as leader of the Tory party
PA
Meanwhile, Transport Secretary Mark Harper said he has "full confidence" in Sunak, warning that politics is a "team game".
He added: "I'm going to be supporting him all the way through, and I'm confident that my colleagues will".
Harper said the PM is making the "right long-term decisions for the country", adding that the plan "is delivering results". He added: "You don't change the opinion polls overnight. It takes time to do that."
A Tory source told GB News there are a “significant number” of MPs who think it would be “cleaner” to put in a caretaker PM, who would take over for a set period ahead of a general election.
They said: "They could call an election and have a 100 -day campaign. That way they can fight it with fresh leadership and draw a line under the chaos.
“Surely it’s easier to fight an election with a new prospect for Prime Minister, rather than an incumbent.”
Sunak is expected to launch a political fightback today in an attempt to persuade his MPs that the plan for the economy is working.
Speaking in the Midlands later today, the Prime Minister will claim the economy is set to "bounce back" as a result of his direction, pointing to falling inflation and real wage rises.
He will also unveil plans today to boost apprenticeships, including £60 million funding and slashing bureaucracy to make it easier for small businesses to hire trainees.
Penny Mordaunt failed to distance herself from rumours that she is seeking to take over from Rishi Sunak as leader of the Tory party.
PA
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Speaking yesterday, the Prime Minister told his party: "There is now a real sense that the economy is turning a corner, with all the economic indicators pointing in the right direction."
He added: "This year, 2024, will be the year Britain bounces back".
Sunak is also said to be considering directly addressing his MPs at a meeting of backbenchers on Wednesday evening as part of an attempt to save his premiership.
