An influential Conservative has set out the path for the Prime Minister’s demise in an appearance on BBC Newsnight. David Campbell-Bannerman, chairman of the pro-Boris Johnson grassroots Conservative Democratic Organisation, has dubbed Rishi Sunak a “dud” and said Boris Johnson should never have left office.
Mr Campbell-Bannerman’s organisation is one of the most prominent backers of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and includes other influential members, including former Home Secretary Priti Patel. He represented those views on December 6, when he called for the former PM to return.
Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire, he said opposition to Mr Sunak is reaching a fever pitch and that, if the Rwanda policy fails, it could cause a spike in no-confidence letters being handed to the 1922 Committee – which governs the Conservative party’s inner workings from Parliament.
Enough letters would trigger a leadership contest, one that Mr Campbell-Bannerman said Mr Sunak could survive. But he added he would likely be forced to step aside regardless.
Speaking to Newsnight, the grassroots chief said that even if Mr Sunak did win a no-confidence vote, he would have to step aside. He said: “If Rwanda doesn’t work then letters of no confidence will go in.
“And even if Rishi Sunak wins that, he’ll be forced to step aside.” His comments led to questioning from Ms Derbyshire, who asked whether his warning was “credible”.
She asked: “Is that credible? Are you genuinely telling me that there are credible Tory politicians suggesting another prime minister within 12 months? What would that be, the fourth?”
Mr Campbell-Bannerman confirmed this was the case and said they should never “have got rid of Boris”. He said: “Yes, it would be the fourth…They shouldn’t have got rid of Boris…Rishi Sunak is such a Dud, things are not working.”
Some Conservatives have already started handing in letters of no confidence, namely Andrea Jenkyns, another Johnson ally given a Damehood in the former Prime Minister’s resignation honours.
She announced she had submitted a letter of no confidence on November 13, accusing Mr Sunak of having “Machiavellian involvement” in “getting rid of our democratically elected leader”.
In her letter she said she was submitting the letter after questioning how long MPs would “sit on their hands and let he and his out-of-touch advisors damage our party irrevocably”. She added that she hoped “other Conservative MPs follow suit”.
