Rishi Sunak’s allies launch blitz on party bosses to ‘send in men in grey suits’ to oust Liz Truss from No10

TORY rebels last night launched a coordinated blitz on party bosses to “send in the men in grey suits” to oust Liz Truss from No 10.

Rishi Sunak supporters bombarded Sir Graham Brady — shop steward for Tory MPs — with phone calls pleading with him to intervene.

They want former Chancellor Mr Sunak and Penny ­Mordaunt to take over the ­Government on a joint ticket in a coronation by Tory MPs.

One of the plotters told Trending In The News on Sunday: “We want Graham to grey suit her.”

They struck after an astonishing week which saw Ms Truss tear up her Budget and sack Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng in a desperate bid to stay in No 10.

On another blistering day of high political drama:

• No 10 hit back at Tory mutineers — accusing them of toppling Boris Johnson as PM and now “trying to get rid of another”.
• DESPAIRING Cabinet ministers said talk of a Tory coronation was “for the birds” and a general election would be “inevitable” if Ms Truss is knifed.
• IN her most personal comments on the crisis yet, the PM said it was a “wrench” to see her Chancellor and close friend Kwasi go.
• MINISTERS said the PM’s political project is “dead” and she is effectively a hostage leader being kept on to avoid a general election.
• MR Kwarteng is said to have blamed her for the disastrous 45p tax policy.

Ms Truss is battling to cling on as PM after the most extraordinary week in British politics for a generation.

In a frantic morning on Friday, she tore up her flagship plans to cut corporation tax and fired her Chancellor in a bid to reassure panicked markets.

She acted after being issued with a series of stark warnings from experts who said there could be “severe economic shock” and a run on the Pound on Monday morning unless she changed course.

New Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has vowed to hike taxes and slash departmental spending to plug the £40billion hole in our finances.

But the moves have not been enough to placate Tory rebels, who are still plotting against her.

A group of Sunak backers phoned Sir Graham, who has been away holidaying in Athens, last night urging him to tell Ms Truss her time is up.

One Tory rebel said: “The point is to encourage him to send in the grey suits.”

The men in grey suits refers to party chiefs – like Sir Graham who is chairman of the 1922 committee of Tory MPs – who are sent in at times of crisis to tell PMs to quit.

Many Sunak backers want the ex Chancellor to team up with Ms Mordaunt and take over the running of No 10 on a unity ticket without the need for a divisive leadership election.

Mr Sunak has been keeping his head down at his constituency home in Richmond, North Yorks, while the plotting takes place in his name down in Westminster.

Trending In The News on Sunday understands he has received a barrage of calls from colleagues asking if he would be PM if the vacancy came up.

He is expected to stay out of the plotting unless, and until, a consensus emerges in the party as to what to do next. But one Sunak ally said: “I think Rishi would do it — out of a sense of public duty.”

But in a dramatic twist, his backers admit he could only stage a stunning comeback to lead the Government if the overwhelming majority of Tory MPs backed him.

They said Boris Johnson and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace will be “kingmakers” and must support Mr Sunak for him to stand a chance of leading.

But there is not yet a consensus. After a disastrous few days, a growing number of Tory MPs said they expect Ms Truss to be ousted within weeks.

A senior Tory MP said: “Her entire political project, Trussonomics, is dead and buried. I don’t see how Liz survives.”

An ex Cabinet minister said: “The problem with Liz is when you take away her economic project, what is the point of her?

It is like papering over the cracks when the house has fallen down.”

Another Tory said: “She is cooked.”

Several Tory MPs said Cabinet minister Ms Mordaunt is “on manoeuvres” as she eyes the top job.

One said her backers are launching a cappuccino coup, taking Tory MPs away from Parliament for coffees in a charm offensive.

Tory rebels are urging Sir Graham and the 1922 committee to change party rules to avoid an election.

This could be done by raising the threshold for nominations so MPs have to get 100 backers rather than the usual 20, so only a unity candidate could make it through.

Or MPs could agree to all rally behind a single candidate — meaning they would not need to go to a vote of party members. But ­Cabinet ministers dismissed the plots as “for the birds”.

One said: “This self indulgence is madness. There is no alternative to Liz Truss.

“There is no way we can change leaders again and not have a general election.

“And a general election before 2024 will be exceptionally difficult. We can all read the polls.”

Rebels are also sending letters of no confidence to Sir Graham to call for the PM to go.

If 54 Tory MPs write, then a vote is held on the leader. If they lose it, they have to quit.

One Tory big beast warned the party could split for good if Mr Sunak is handed power in a coronation.

Last night, Downing Street admitted for the first time that Ms Truss is locked in a bitter battle to stay on as PM.

In a bid to reset her premiership, she writes in today’s Sun on Sunday to urge Brits to stick with her. She admitted parts of her mini Budget spooked markets, adding: “I’ve listened, I get it.”

She added: “Right now, people across the United Kingdom rightly want stability and opportunity.

“As Prime Minister, I will work flat out to provide both amid the huge challenges we face.”

The PM is at Chequers this weekend where she will hold crunch talks with Mr Hunt to thrash out spending plans.

But officials at the top of Government said the wheels are already coming off the administration. One said: “You get the feeling we are in the dying days.

“You can’t get a decision through, announcements are being delayed, there are little leaks everywhere. Liz has become very isolated.”