Should he stay or should he go?

[Onelife]

A senior Tory MP has called for his party to replace Rishi Sunak as prime minister or be "massacred" in the general election.


I think Simon Clarke has a point, it matters not if other ministers think Sunak is doing a good job, it’s what the voters think that will determine which party wins at the forthcoming election. It is difficult to see how the Conservatives can turn the tide of what appears to be a tsunami heading their way. The majority of voters (like myself) only have a superficial understanding of the inner workings of Government which is why the likability factor has a big influence when it comes to who voters vote for at elections, So the choice as I see it is go down with the ship or look for a lifeboat to rescue the party, this, in my opinion should be Penny Mordaunt who has the likability factor and appears to have a level head on her. She certainly knows how to make a ‘splash’ and could well be the one who surfaces as a likely replacement.

[david63]

No he should not go just because some disgruntled MP doesn't agree with his policies. There have been too many Conservative Party leaders over the last 18 months or so and we are too close to the next GE for the Conservatives to change course now

The Conservatives are almost certain to loose the next General Election and that will be the time for him to go - if that is what the party want.

[oldbluefox]

After the election is the time for change especially as it looks like the Tory days are numbered. Penny Mordaunt should have been elected long ago but got pushed out of the running by a spot of tactical voting. For my money this was a big mistake, a literal own goal which has greatly harmed the Tory government but I believe her day will come.

[allatc]

Bring back Boris

[Ray B]

Bring back Boris

We normally follow what the Americans do.

[CaroleF]

A lot of Conservative party members, me included, were annoyed that when Liz Truss was ousted, the Parliamentary Party were so keen to avoid a contest that they ensured that Sunak was elected without the members having a chance to vote for other candidates. I agree with Onelife - and I don't often - that Penny Mordant would appeal to Party members and to Tory voters in the country. She may still not win but at least she would have a better chance than Sunak.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Liz Truss wasn't ousted, she was a disaster. Her economic ideas may or may not be right in the long term but implementing them as she did, hastily without proper consultation or figures to back them, crashed the economy overnight.

While I have some sympathy for Conservative members feeling overlooked, they certainly don't have much of a track record in choosing leaders recently. And they are now irrelevant. It's the millions of floating voters who will make the difference at the election, not 170,000 party members.

As one of the floaters I'd have preferred Penny Maudant in the first place but I'm happy with Rishi for now and frankly it makes no difference. Keir Starmer will be the next PM and then we'll see how he does. He'll certainly need some better ideas than "I wouldn't have done that."

[towny44]

It's too late now for a new party leader to be elected, take over as PM, and set his/or her stamp on policies, enough to have any impact on voters. Unless it was Boris, and I guess that's unlikely.
So the MPs need to stop rocking the boat, and start trying to show some unity, which is the only way they stand a chance of avoiding a whitewash.

[paultheagle]

I couldn't care less who their leader is, they are toast. If they cared for our country they would have already gone to the polls instead of hanging on putting their own political careers ahead what is best for the UK.

In 1982 when Thatcher was in a similar position to Sunak she picked a fight with Argentine and the Falklands war was a result and saved her. I wonder if that is at the back of Sunak's mind when he sends the jets to bomb Yeman.

[oldbluefox]

Correction:
It was the Argentinians who raided South Georgia and claimed the Falklands as their own. That is what prompted the Falklands war. Nothing to do with Thatcher picking a fight.
Sunak is responding to the Houthis attacking shipping travelling past the Yemeni coast.

[paultheagle]

Correction
Argentine invaded the Falklands on 2nd April 1982 and South Georgia the day after. Thatchers government had neglected the Falklands and gave the Argentine Junta the idea that we no longer wanted them.
Why is Sunak bombing Yeman? Why are no other countries other than USA involved? All it's going to do is make the volatile situation in that area worse.

[oldbluefox]

So if you left a bicycle outside where you live and it gets stolen it's your fault because the thief would believe you didn't want it
And we should all stand by and do nothing in the face of missile attacks on merchant shipping. Whilst it is ourselves and the US actually firing the missiles to destroy Houthi targets it does have the support of many other nations....except the French who are probably still thinking about it.

[Onelife]

A lot of Conservative party members, me included, were annoyed that when Liz Truss was ousted, the Parliamentary Party were so keen to avoid a contest that they ensured that Sunak was elected without the members having a chance to vote for other candidates. I agree with Onelife - and I don't often - that Penny Mordant would appeal to Party members and to Tory voters in the country. She may still not win but at least she would have a better chance than Sunak.

Hi Carole, you could have left out the - and I don’t often - these comments are becoming increasingly infectious with other members of the forum

The consensus appears to be that the conservative party is domed? If that is the case then why not, for the sake of the party reach out for a new leader…Sunak will be gone after the next election anyway.

Once the ball gets rolling and political careers become increasingly vulnerable there will be many who think it’s time to swerve the inevitable and reach for the survival pack. Another plus is that Penny appears to have kept her own council and not pinned her colours to any of the factions that lie within her party.

Penny Mordaunt is popular with party membership and she also comes across as sincere with an unassuming confidence which could be a big vote winner at the election.

I might even be persuaded to vote for her if she came out as an anti-monarchist

[towny44]

I couldn't care less who their leader is, they are toast. If they cared for our country they would have already gone to the polls instead of hanging on putting their own political careers ahead what is best for the UK.

In 1982 when Thatcher was in a similar position to Sunak she picked a fight with Argentine and the Falklands war was a result and saved her. I wonder if that is at the back of Sunak's mind when he sends the jets to bomb Yeman.

You do talk a.load of rubbish PTE, I would stick to watching Palace lose if I were you.

[towny44]

A lot of Conservative party members, me included, were annoyed that when Liz Truss was ousted, the Parliamentary Party were so keen to avoid a contest that they ensured that Sunak was elected without the members having a chance to vote for other candidates. I agree with Onelife - and I don't often - that Penny Mordant would appeal to Party members and to Tory voters in the country. She may still not win but at least she would have a better chance than Sunak.

Hi Carole, you could have left out the - and I don’t often - these comments are becoming increasingly infectious with other members of the forum

The consensus appears to be that the conservative party is domed? If that is the case then why not, for the sake of the party reach out for a new leader…Sunak will be gone after the next election anyway.

Once the ball gets rolling and political careers become increasingly vulnerable there will be many who think it’s time to swerve the inevitable and reach for the survival pack. Another plus is that Penny appears to have kept her own council and not pinned her colours to any of the factions that lie within her party.

Penny Mordaunt is popular with party membership and she also comes across as sincere with an unassuming confidence which could be a big vote winner at the election.

I might even be persuaded to vote for her if she came out as an anti-monarchist

If the Tories are going to lose the next election, then why would any politician want to take on the leadership role, when it now seems that if you lose you should resign??????

[Onelife]

If you lose it is because voters have, rightly or wrongly lost faith in your decision making…or in my case the whole system which needs a complete overhaul. The next leader of the conservatives needs to pull the party back into line with new faces and a vocation to do best for the country.

Should have stuck with Theresa.

[Stephen]

If you lose it is because voters have, rightly or wrongly lost faith in your decision making…or in my case the whole system which needs a complete overhaul. The next leader of the conservatives needs to pull the party back into line with new faces and a vocation to do best for the country.

Should have stuck with Theresa.

I think we may be in for a long wait before that happens.

[paultheagle]

I couldn't care less who their leader is, they are toast. If they cared for our country they would have already gone to the polls instead of hanging on putting their own political careers ahead what is best for the UK.

In 1982 when Thatcher was in a similar position to Sunak she picked a fight with Argentine and the Falklands war was a result and saved her. I wonder if that is at the back of Sunak's mind when he sends the jets to bomb Yeman.

You do talk a.load of rubbish PTE, I would stick to watching Palace lose if I were you.

Not rubbish at all, all I said is fact. Do you even know where Old Trafford is?

[Onelife]

If you lose it is because voters have, rightly or wrongly lost faith in your decision making…or in my case the whole system which needs a complete overhaul. The next leader of the conservatives needs to pull the party back into line with new faces and a vocation to do best for the country.

Should have stuck with Theresa.

I think we may be in for a long wait before that happens.

Five years in opposition should be enough time for them to realise what pulled the party apart.

[towny44]

I couldn't care less who their leader is, they are toast. If they cared for our country they would have already gone to the polls instead of hanging on putting their own political careers ahead what is best for the UK.

In 1982 when Thatcher was in a similar position to Sunak she picked a fight with Argentine and the Falklands war was a result and saved her. I wonder if that is at the back of Sunak's mind when he sends the jets to bomb Yeman.

You do talk a.load of rubbish PTE, I would stick to watching Palace lose if I were you.

Not rubbish at all, all I said is fact. Do you even know where Old Trafford is?

I have its post code so the sat nav should find it, but it being in red rose country, we try not to visit too frequently.

[oldbluefox]

Whilst it is highly unlikely I will be voting Tory I look at the Labour line up and there are too many faces from the failed Corbyn years in Starmer's team to give me any confidence they will be any better, and Starmer himself is so wishy-washy I'm not really sure what he believes in.
Lib Dems? Greens? No chance!
After the election bring on Penny Mordaunt who played such a wonderful part in our King's coronation

[oldbluefox]

I have its post code so the sat nav should find it, but it being in red rose country, we try not to visit too frequently.

The way Palace are going I doubt PTE will be needing it for very much longer.

[Onelife]

What a terrible state our political system is in when members such as Foxy (A person whose opinions I respect) are struggling to find a political party that gives him enough confidence to place his vote. Whilst my task will be easier being that it will be a protest vote, a vote born out of disillusionment in what is our present stagnation of round-about politics, politics where we have been conditioned to live in hope rather than expectation.

[oldbluefox]

I don't think I am alone in feeling disillusioned with the antics of the Tory party and all of the infighting which has been going on for far too long. They have been unlucky in many respects having to deal with the Covid epidemic, then Russia's invasion of Ukraine and now the Gaza problem but nevertheless there are many issues closer to home which they have failed to come to terms with.
I would not trust Starmer & Co since there is far too much they have not said and a lack of detail on what they have revealed. I don't believe a word they say.
It is likely my vote will go to someone outside the main political parties which better reflect my views and aspirations for the direction I want the country to follow. Unfortunately promises in manifestos are literally that and, once elected those promises go out of the window.

[towny44]

What a terrible state our political system is in when members such as Foxy (A person whose opinions I respect) are struggling to find a political party that gives him enough confidence to place his vote. Whilst my task will be easier being that it will be a protest vote, a vote born out of disillusionment in what is our present stagnation of round-about politics, politics where we have been conditioned to live in hope rather than expectation.

Have you checked the performance of the Eurozone countries recently, they are having the same economic problems we have, and seem to have more problems with extreme right wing groups and racism than we have. Nowhere seems really rosy enough for you OL.