A TORY peer has suggested his party should ditch Rishi Sunak if they are to have any hope of winning the next General Election.
Writing in The Telegraph, Lord David Frost pointed to “another crunch week” for the Conservative Party as the Prime Minister was forced to defend his Rwanda asylum plans at a last-minute press conference.
That came following the resignation of immigration minister Robert Jenrick, who believes the policy is destined for failure.
In his Telegraph column, Frost echoed Suella Braverman’s (below) thoughts that the “party is facing electoral oblivion”.
He suggested “if there is anything to be done to get us on a better path and increase our chances of winning (the next election), then I believe it must be done”.
“Nearly two-thirds of our 2019 voters say they won’t be voting for us. That, not enthusiasm for Keir Starmer, is why Labour is ahead,” he said.
He said that “for those voters, immigration is the top issue” and spoke of how “crucial” the next General Election will be.
READ MORE: Cabinet Office refuses to say if Union committee has even MET
“It is the first election for 50 years at which British voters can change every policy. Last time round, our electors could not change large areas of policy on trade, much economic regulation, agriculture, fisheries, the environment, social and employment law, energy, immigration, human rights – and much more.
“Only the EU could do that. But after Brexit, Britain is a free country once again,” Lord Frost wrote.
He added that he was worried “too many Conservative parliamentarians” have “given up” on the next election and that it was “obvious the current strategy is not working”.
Frost added: “The centre-left, with whom, we must group the Prime Minister after last month’s reshuffle, seems to be happy with losing decently to the approving applause of the establishment.
“But I also hear people on the right saying that the election is already lost and that the important thing is that the left ‘owns the result’ so the right can take control of the smoking wreckage after the crash.”
He even took aim at policies introduced by Sunak (below), saying the Tories wouldn’t win back 2019 voters through “smoking bans or tinkering with A-levels, or failing to deliver on crucial commitments like immigration”.
It was in the final paragraph of his column however where he appeared to hint that getting rid of Sunak may be the solution.
The Tory peer said: “So if there is anything to be done to get us on a better path and increase our chances of winning, then I believe it must be done.
“That must, of course, include improving this Rwanda bill so that it does the job it is meant to do.
“But MPs also have a responsibility to consider more broadly whether they think the current path can take us to an election win.
“If they don’t, they shouldn’t be resigning themselves to it – they should be doing something about it.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel