Sunak, who led the Conservative Party to its worst election defeat in its parliamentary history, has been reported by the Express to be likely standing down so his by-election can coincide with next May’s local elections, according to a Tory source.
Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is said to be planning on resigning his seat and sparking a by-election after the result of this month’s leadership race to replace him has been announced.
Sunak, who led the Conservative Party to its worst election defeat in its parliamentary history, has been reported by the Express to be likely standing down so his by-election can coincide with next May’s local elections, according to a Tory source.
And it’s not only Sunak who is considering throwing in the towel. The paper states that Oliver Dowden and an unnamed Tory grandee are all considering stepping down.
That would mean a by-election headache for Sunak’s successor, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage already announcing that his party has a high profile candidate ready to stand in Sunak’s constituency in North Yorkshire.
The Express also reports that in the weeks running up to the snap-election, Sunak had to beg his then Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden not to resign as an MP because of how bad it would look.
It is also reported that Grant Shapps is likely to be eyeing up one of the seats should any of the Tory MPs resign, as he is keen for a return to public office.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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