Brady holds key to wresting PM from office as rebel Tories call for Truss to quit after weeks
Rebel Tories are pinning their hopes of removing Liz Truss from No.10 on Sir Graham Brady, head of the 1922 Committee of Conservative MPs.
He reportedly met the prime minister in Westminster yesterday after returning from a holiday in Greece.
The talks came amid growing calls from those within her own party for her to step aside as party leader.
Angela Richardson became the fourth Conservative MP to publicly call on Ms Truss to resign, as opinion polls showed the Tories face a virtual wipeout at the next general election.
The Guildford MP told Times Radio: ‘I don’t think it’s tenable she can stay in her position any longer and I’m very sad to have to say that.’
Hours later, Tory veteran Sir Charles Walker joined calls for Ms Truss to quit.
Her handling of public finances had been a ‘monumental foul-up’, he said. ‘I don’t think her position is recoverable. We don’t need a disrupter in No.10, we need a uniter,’ he told Sky News.
Crispin Blunt, Andrew Bridgen and Jamie Wallis urged the PM to quit on Sunday. Rebels reportedly want defence secretary Ben Wallace to replace her. Others favour ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak in partnership with former leadership contender Penny Mordaunt.
But first rebels must oust Ms Truss if she does not decide to quit. The 1922 Committee has the power to do this, but currently does not allow leadership challenges within 12 months of a PM taking office.
Outside that time frame, if 15 per cent (53) of Tory MPs submit a letter of no confidence in the premier to Sir Graham a vote can be held. Should that happen, and Ms Truss fails to secure the support of at least 50 per cent of her own MPs, she would be obliged to resign.
If she is removed, another leadership contest will begin with party members voting on who they want in charge – unless, as has been reported recently, MPs put forward only one ‘unity’ candidate, for an agreed ‘coronation’.
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