Rishi Sunak insists Tories are united despite reported plot to oust him

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Rishi Sunak has claimed the Tories are united despite speculation about a plot to replace him as Prime Minister before the general election.

The Conservative leader said he was “not interested” in “Westminster politics”. He said that “all Conservatives are united in wanting to deliver a brighter future for our country”.Sunak’s failure to turn around the Tories’ opinion poll deficit has fuelled speculation about Conservative MPs considering replacing him with Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt in an attempt to avoid a general election disaster.Asked during a visit to the West Midlands why he did not let one of his “disloyal colleagues” have the “poisoned chalice” of being Prime Minister, Sunak said: “I’m not interested in all Westminster politics.

It doesn’t matter.“What matters is the future of our country. And that’s what I am squarely focused on.“That’s what I get up every morning, working as hard as I can, to deliver – whether it’s cutting people’s taxes, increasing the state pension… today increasing the number of apprenticeships and talking to small businesses.“Those are the things that matter to people.

And as we have seen over the last few weeks, our plan is working. Inflation is coming down, wages are growing and the economy is back to growing again.”Highlighting tax cuts, state pension increases, and progress on tackling illegal migration as things that matter to people, Sunak added: “We are absolutely united in delivering for the country on these important matters.”Sunak said the past few years were “not easy for me”, but he believes there are better times ahead.He acknowledged it has been a “tough few years”, with Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine sending energy bills and inflation soaring.He said: “None of that is