Penny Mordaunt launched a furious defence of Rishi Sunak in the House of Commons, which saw her dub Keir Starmer a “weather vane”.
This came after shadow Commons leader Lucy Powell highlighted the resignation of a No. 10 pollster, who quit due to fears about the Conservatives’ chances at the next general election.
Giving an impassioned defence of the Prime Minister at business questions in the House of Commons, Mordaunt said: “Our Prime Minister is a man whose migrant parents made sacrifices to ensure he could have a good start in life.
“He worked hard to make the best use of every opportunity he was afforded. He studied hard, he pushed himself, and he had many career options but he chose a life in public service representing God’s own country.
Penny Mordaunt launched a furious defence of Rishi Sunak in the House of Commons, which saw her dub Keir Starmer a “weather vane”
PA
“He protected this nation and livelihoods from the greatest financial and health crisis since the Second World War.
“He has risen through hard work and courage and determination to be this country’s first British Asian Prime Minister.
“He has shown global leadership on many challenges facing this country.”
She added: “If the leader of the Opposition is a weathervane, our Prime Minister is a signpost.”
This came afetr Powell said: “The Prime Minister’s own pollster, having concluded they are not providing the bold, decisive action required and that the Conservatives, and this is his words, not mine, are ‘heading for the most almighty of defeats’.
“Many agree. So can she just put everyone out of their misery and get on and call a general election?”
Yesterday, it was revealed that No 10 pollster Will Dry quit before Christmas, saying he had “steadily becoming more dispirited” with the Conservative Party.
Dry has now joined the Conservative Britain Alliance, a group affiliated with Lord Frost which appears to be seeking to undermine the Prime Minister.
In a statement given to The Sun, Dry said: “Everyone in this country can see just how colossal the challenges we face are. Sadly, it became clear to me we weren’t providing the bold, decisive action required to overcome those challenges.
The Leader of the House of Commons said the Prime Minister has “shown global leadership on many challenges facing this country”
PA
“You cannot dent them without internalising just how fundamentally broken our political system is.
“I further concluded, again sorrowfully, that the Conservatives are heading for the most almighty of defeats.”
He added: “Be in no doubt: we are on course for at least a decade of Labour rule. And if Farage comes back, the Conservative Party essentially won’t exist by Christmas.”
