Tory ex-housing ministers at war over Rishi Sunak’s...

Two former housing ministers are at war with each other after an attack on Rishi Sunak’s premiership in today’s Daily Telegraph.

Sir Simon Clarke was Housing Secretary for a record brief spell between September 6 and October 25 2022 under the leadership of then-premier Liz Truss.

He has written in the Telegraph this morning: “The Conservative Party under Rishi Sunak once again stands on the opposite, crumbling bank of this widening precipice".

He says Tory MPs might well be "afraid" of electing a fourth leader in two years but asked: "Which is worse: a week of chaotic headlines in Westminster, or a decade of decline under Keir?

“We have a clear choice. Stick with Rishi Sunak, take the inevitable electoral consequences, and give the Left a blank cheque to change Britain as they see fit. Or we can change leader, and give our country and party a fighting chance.

"Every Conservative MP will need to live with the decision they make in the coming days for the rest of their lives. Failing to act would itself represent a decision” he added.

However one of Clarke’s predecessors - Lord Barwell, who as Gavin Barwell was housing minister during the Theresa May government - was aggressively opposed to Clarke and said in a statement: "The unvarnished truth is that Simon Clarke is increasing the chances of him and his colleagues losing their seats.

"The Chief Whip should remove the whip and send a clear message to other Conservative MPs: unite behind the PM or go find some other party to stand for."

Some of Clarke’s colleagues in the Truss government have spoken out against him overnight.

Former home secretary Dame Priti Patel accused her colleague of "engaging in facile and divisive self indulgence" and former Brexit Secretary David Davis - who served in the Boris Johnson government - added: "The Party and the country are sick and tired of MPs putting their own leadership ambitions ahead of the UK's best interests."

Last week 61 Conservative MPs voted to change the Rwanda Bill as it went through Parliament - the biggest rebellion of Sunak's premiership. But the rival One Nation caucus of about 100 Tory MPs threatened to bring the Bill if Sunak agreed to the rebel amendments.