Tories attack plot to dump Rishi Sunak led by Liz Truss ally

A fresh civil war has erupted within the Conservatives after a top ally of Liz Truss and Boris Johnson called for Rishi Sunak to be sacked and replaced.

Former cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke said the Tories would be “massacred” at the coming election unless the party had a new leader.

But senior Tories lashed out at his “foolish” and “facile” move, while former defence secretary Ben Wallace warned it was “division and another PM [that] would lead to the certain loss of power”.

As his attempted coup fizzled to a halt even his allies turned on him. Organisers made clear he would not nowthat they had “dumped” him.