Defence Secretary Grant Shapps calls for Conservative Party unity and warns against leadership changes as polling figures falter ahead of crucial elections.
Grant Shapps, the UK’s Defence Secretary, has expressed caution to his fellow Conservative MPs regarding any moves to oust Rishi Sunak as party leader ahead of the impending general election. In an interview with The Times, Shapps stressed the importance of stability, urging party unity under Sunak’s leadership despite recent polls suggesting a drop in party support. He highlighted the challenging economic circumstances faced by Sunak and dismissed the timing for a leadership change as inappropriate.
This internal party dialogue comes at a time when renowned pollster John Curtice forecasts a bleak outcome for the Conservatives in the upcoming elections, attributing the decline in the party’s popularity to the controversies surrounding former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. Curtice noted that the party’s efforts to dissociate from these scandals have been unproductive, leaving the party’s polling figure stagnant at around 24%.
Meanwhile, with speculations about an early general election and potential leadership shifts within the Conservative Party, Defence Secretary Shapps has pointed out the necessity for focus and cohesion within the party, particularly in the lead-up to key mayoral races and local elections.
Despite the calls for a change in leadership to rejuvenate the party’s prospects, Shapps and other supportive MPs continue to rally behind Sunak, emphasizing his focus on key policy areas such as welfare reform and defence spending amidst ongoing political challenges and uncertainties.
