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For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsDesperate Right wing Tory MPs are plotting to replace Rishi Sunak with Penny Mordaunt in a last ditch bid to avoid defeat at the general election, it is claimed.They are said to have hatched a “100 Days To Save Britain” plan whereby Ms Mordaunt, best known for wielding a ceremonial sword at the King’s coronation, would become PM.The extraordinary idea is reportedly in response to fears that the party could suffer massive losses in this week’s local elections.Tory jitters have been heightened by the shock defection of one of their MPs, ex-health minister and serving GP Dan Poulter to Labour. The rebels are said to believe that if Commons Leader Ms Mordaunt took power and launched a series of Right wing initiatives on tax and immigration and other issues it could avert a Labour landslide in the election later this year.One Tory rebel told the Sunday Telegraph: “The reality is that we are facing an extinction-level event. It’s for colleagues to decide if they want to go down with the ship.”However Ms Mordaunt is understood to have said that speculation about her is “codswallop”. Mainstream Conservatives say a lurch to the Right would make the party even less popular.And Ms Mordaunt’s Tory critics say that, aside from winning plaudits for her impressive style at the coronation, she lacks political skills.The rebels are said to have drawn up a five-point plan for a potential successor to Mr Sunak which would see them chalk up a series of “quick wins” before the election. A Tory MP told The Times: “My concern is that we don’t have a significant response to Reform. We have a leader who is ill-suited to appealing to voters in the Red Wall. He is seen as an out of touch multi-millionaire who doesn’t share their instincts. If we lose Tees Valley it will be beyond diabolical.”The five-point plan includes efforts to end the junior doctors pay dispute, cutting net migration, boosting defence spending, slashing the benefits bill and tougher sentences for serious offenders. Mr Sunak meanwhile is keeping the door open to a July general election, having again refused to rule out going to the country this summer. Amid speculation that a disastrous set of local elections results for the Tories could force his hand, the prime minister would not “say anything more than I’ve already said” on the date of the next election. He has previously said it will take place in the second half of 2024.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has declined to rule out a July poll (Henry Nicholls/PA) More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailDr Dan Poulter has defected to the Labour Party, claiming the Conservatives have become a “nationalist party of the right”.The Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP will sit on the Labour benches until the next general election, expected this autumn, when he has announced he will step down.Mr Poulter said he made the decision in part because of Sir Keir Starmer’s promised NHS reforms, accusing the Tories of not “understanding” the health service.Dr Dan Poulter signing his Labour Party membership form with Ellie Reeves, Labour’s deputy national campaign co-ordinator (Labour Party/PA) More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak has been warned that losses in the Tees Valley and West Midlands mayoral elections would “set the vultures circling”, with restless Tory MPs agitating for a leadership challenge.On the weekend reports emerged of a Tory plot to replace the PM with Penny Mordaunt, Mr Sunak has been warned that the unseating of Ben Houchen and Andy Street next Thursday contests could further damage his standing.The pair are the Conservatives’ most powerful figures outside of Westminster and have both built major personal brands.Ben Houchen has remained significantly more popular than the Conservatives nationally More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailA top Tory MP has defected to the Labour Party after claiming the Conservatives have become a “nationalist party of the right”.Dr Dan Poulter, the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, who also works part-time as a mental health doctor in the NHS, said he would not stand at the next election but would join Labour until the vote, likely to be anytime between later this year and early 2025. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer welcomed Dr Poulter to the party, describing his defection as a “fantastic” boost to their attempts to unseat the Conservatives. “It’s fantastic to welcome Dr Dan Poulter MP to today’s changed Labour Party,” Sir Keir wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “It’s time to end the Conservative chaos, turn the page, and get Britain’s future back. I’m really pleased that Dan has decided to join us on this journey.”A Conservative Party spokesman said that Dr Poulter’s defection would be “disappointing” for his constituents.In an interview with the BBC, Dr Poulter said he could no longer look his NHS colleagues in the eye and remain a Conservative as the party was not focused on public services. “The difficulty for the Conservative Party is that the party I was elected into valued public services,” he said. “It had a compassionate view about supporting the more disadvantaged in society. “I think the Conservative Party today is a very different place.” He said his experiences over more than 20 night shifts over the last year in an overstretched A&E department had been “truly life changing”, adding that those experiences had persuaded him to defect. NHS A&E departments are suffering huge waiting times, according to the latest NHS data More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailHumza Yousaf has not ruled out a Holyrood election after writing to the leaders of Scotland’s political parties to seek “common ground” ahead of a crucial no confidence vote.It comes as the Alba Party, whose sole MSP Ash Regan could hold a vote key to Mr Yousaf’s future, were holding an emergency meeting to discuss the way forward.The first minister is attempting to build bridges with the other political leaders at Holyrood, inviting them to talks at his official residence. He hopes to hold separate meetings with each group at Bute House in Edinburgh to discuss how they can “contribute constructively”, while acknowledging that there are “strong feelings” about the upcoming confidence votes.Mr Yousaf sent letters to the Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Labour, the Scottish Greens, the Scottish Liberal Democrats, and the Alba Party on Friday night.Mr Yousaf terminated the power-sharing deal between the SNP and Scottish Greens on Thursday, leading to the smaller pro-independence party announcing it would back the motion of no confidence in his leadership.Mr Yousaf spoke to Sky News on Saturday, saying he hoped to hear from the other Holyrood leaders soon.It was put to Mr Yousaf that, given the lack of support from the Greens, Ms Regan could be crucial to his political survival.He said: “That would be really disappointing if that is the Greens’ position.”As I say, I’ve reached out to them, they are saying publicly that they’re going to support a Conservative motion against a First Minister, an independence government.”I think that would be, I think, a poor choice to make. So, of course, I have written to Ash Regan, as well. I look forward to speaking to her too.”The ruling body of the pro-independence Alba Party, which is led by former first minister Alex Salmond, is holding an emergency meeting over the weekend where Ms Regan will set out “the areas of importance to the people of Scotland that she will seek movement on”.Asked if there might be a Scottish election if he doesn’t win the vote, Mr Yousaf replied: “Can’t rule it out.”In his letters, Mr Yousaf emphasised that the Scottish Parliament has previous experience of minority administrations that had delivered benefits for “people, communities and businesses”.He said: “I recognise the strong feelings in relation to the confidence debate our parliament is set to have next week.”Notwithstanding that, I am writing to all Holyrood party groups to ask them to meet me next week, in separate meetings, to discuss their concerns and indeed priorities, in a hopefully constructive spirit.”The meetings at Bute House would “discuss matters and establish the scope for common ground”, he said.Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, who lodged a motion of no confidence in Mr Yousaf, suggested he is in little mood for compromise.Mr Ross said: “The only letter Humza Yousaf should be writing is one offering his resignation.”He says it’s important for the Scottish people, communities and businesses to have effective government as if he’s just discovered it, when he is the one who has ignored their priorities and failed to listen to concerns.”But given how much his views have changed in the last week, perhaps I’ll go along to Bute House, if there’s a possibility I can convince him to support my motion.”The Scottish Greens said they would respond formally to the First Minister in due course, but otherwise their position is unchanged.Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie has said it is “pretty clear” Mr Yousaf will not be able to unite Holyrood – urging the SNP to consider finding a replacement for him.Leaders of the other parties have not yet issued responses to the letters.Speaking on Friday, Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar said: “I am more than happy to engage with people of all parties, but it is clear that Humza Yousaf is out of time.”On Saturday, Mr Yousaf’s former leadership rival Kate Forbes urged colleagues to back him in the upcoming votes of no confidence.Ms Forbes, who came second in the race to succeed Nicola Sturgeon last year, said recent events had been “an embarrassment for every parliamentarian in every party”.Amid the tight parliamentary arithmetic at Holyrood, the vote of Alba Party Holyrood leader – and former SNP MSP – Ms Regan could be crucial to Mr Yousaf’s political survival.In a BBC interview on Friday, Ms Regan said she had not spoken to Mr Yousaf since the leadership contest last year. She said she is still considering how to cast her vote.She said: “I think that potentially some of the things he said about me when I left to go to a different political party last year probably shows that it’s always wise to have that level of professional courtesy to people that you work with.”In October last year, Mr Yousaf said Ms Regan’s defection to Alba was “no great loss”.PA More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak has pounced on claims that migrants are heading to Ireland from the UK over fears of being sent to Rwanda as evidence that his deportation plan is working – despite no flights having taken off. Deputy Irish premier Micheal Martin claimed on Friday there had been a rise in migrants crossing the border from Northern Ireland into the Republic over fears of being sent on a one-way flight to the east African nation under Mr Sunak’s flagship policy.The prime minister responded on Saturday claiming that this was evidence that the deterrent effect of the Rwanda plan was “already having an impact”. This is despite not a single flight having left for Rwanda since the plan was proposed more than two years ago.The legislation ensuring the plan is legally sound, the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act, cleared its passage through parliament this week and was signed into law on Thursday. But Mr Sunak acknowledged it could still take 10 to 12 weeks to get flights in the air, in a blow to his earlier target of the spring of this year.In an interview with Sky News’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, which will air in full on Sunday, the prime minister was challenged over whether the UK is simply exporting the problem.Mr Sunak said: “My focus is on the United Kingdom and securing our borders. But what [Mr Martin’s] comment illustrates is a couple of things.“One, that illegal migration is a global challenge, which is why you’re seeing multiple countries talk about doing third-country partnerships, looking at novel ways to solve this problem, and I believe will follow where the UK has led.“But what it also shows, I think, is that the deterrent is, according to your comment, already having an impact, because people are worried about coming here and that demonstrates exactly what I’m saying.“If people come to our country illegally, but know that they won’t be able to stay, they’re much less likely to come, and that’s why the Rwanda scheme is so important.”Migrants wave to a smuggler’s boat in an attempt to cross the English Channel, on the beach of Gravelines, near Dunkirk More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailGrant Shapps has warned agitating Tory MPs against ousting Rishi Sunak and said the prime minister should be left to “get on with the job” – amid speculation the PM could announce an election next week.The defence secretary said said Mr Sunak should be “given the space” to do his job. “He’s doing a great job, he’s doing it under difficult circumstances,” he said.“There was never an instruction book to get these difficult things [done] and actually steer us through a difficult course”.Multiple No 10 sources have played down claims that the prime minster may call an election as early as Monday, pointing to Mr Sunak’s repeated insistence that a vote will take place in the second half of this year.Speculation is mounting the PM will announce the election date on Monday More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailThe UK Home Office has asked civil servants to apply for jobs relocating them to Rwanda to help oversee their controversial deportation plan.The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill finally became an act of parliament on Thursday after months of pushback and debate.Campaigners have already called for the law, and other sweeping asylum reforms introduced by the government, to be repealed – warning they could cause a “system meltdown” costing the taxpayer billions of pounds.However, plans are being pushed ahead, with the Home Office reportedly advertising for people in the asylum decision-making team in the UK to move overseas.The move to Kigali is set to be as early as next month in order to offer assistance to Rwandan officials dealing with asylum claims, the i reported.The move to Kigali is set to be as early as next month More