Rishi Sunak needs to own Tory election defeats and change course, says Suella Braverman

View: Braverman expresses remorse for endorsing Sunak as Prime Minister.

Authored by Jennifer McKiernan and Hannah Miller, correspondents who specialize in politics.

Suella Braverman has urged Rishi Sunak to take responsibility for the disappointing outcomes of the Conservative Party in the local elections held in England.

The ex-home secretary expressed that the current strategy is not effective and advised the Prime Minister to alter their approach by shifting towards the conservative side.

According to Ms Braverman, who is an MP and previously rallied for the Conservative leadership, there is insufficient time to swap leaders prior to a general election. Therefore, the responsibility to resolve the situation lies with Mr Sunak.

Despite criticisms, Transport Secretary Mark Harper defended the effectiveness of the Prime Minister's plan. Harper maintained that the plan is indeed accomplishing its intended goals.

The Conservative party is dealing with some harsh losses after multiple defeats in local elections. Once all the ballots were tallied up last Sunday, the Tories had given up power over 10 councils with over 470 council seats switching hands.

The Conservative party faced a setback when they lost 10 Police and Crime Commissioners to the Labour party. This could be a significant hurdle for the Conservatives if they plan to focus their upcoming general election campaign on law and order.

On Friday, Ben Houchen's re-election as Tees Valley mayor brought some relief to the party, but the defeat of West Midlands mayor, Andy Street, on Saturday night was upsetting.

The Conservative Party's grip on power slipped again as they lost the Blackpool South by-election, marking the seventh such defeat for the party since Mr. Sunak assumed leadership.

Ms. Braverman admitted to BBC's Sunday show with Laura Kuenssberg that the election results for the Conservatives have been truly dreadful and cannot be hidden.

I strongly encourage the leader of our country to alter their direction. It would be helpful if they took a moment to truly listen to the people and adapt their strategy and their manner of guiding us with some modesty.

According to Ms. Braverman, she deeply remorse supporting Mr. Sunak for the leadership role. However, she acknowledges that switching leaders is now unfeasible, given the upcoming general election in approximately six months. She also declares that there is no exceptional individual, neither male nor female, who has the capabilities to take on the role of leader.

She said, "Rishi Sunak has been in charge for approximately a year and a half, and as a result of his choices, these are the outcomes we're facing. He has to take responsibility and make it right."

Ms Braverman proposed a possible plan stating that the issue at hand was that Conservative voters were "on strike", expressing that they were informing her "you're no longer a Conservative party", and Mr Sunak had to demonstrate "genuine concern".

According to her, he should really cut taxes in a noticeable manner instead of just making small adjustments.

If he truly wants to tackle migration effectively, he must limit legal migration and withdraw us from the European Convention on Human Rights. This is the only way to convey the message that he is genuinely committed to halting the influx of boats.

When questioned about the possibility that shifting towards a more conservative stance would increase the chances for the Tory party, Ms. Braverman responded by saying: "People are not supporting his actions based on the evidence... They do not perceive any advantages."

She mentioned that a lot of Conservative MPs were feeling disheartened in private and that if things continue as they are, there may not be any Conservative MPs left for the upcoming election.

Even though Mr. Sunak's performance has not been impressive, opposition from his own colleagues has not surfaced. A previous government official spoke to Laura Kuenssberg and stated that there is no motivation to make a risky move at this time.

Many MPs believe that there are no viable alternatives to replace Mr. Sunak. Some suggest that Mr. Sunak and his cabinet should take responsibility for the expected defeat.

A former member of the cabinet reports to Laura Kuenssberg that Sunak isn't facing any opposition simply because nobody wants to take responsibility for any shortcomings.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper explained the "disappointing" results of the Tory party on Sunday during his conversation with Laura Kuenssberg.

Pat McFadden, the person in charge of Labour's campaigns, praised the party's election results as extraordinary. Winning the West Midlands mayoral race was a major accomplishment that exceeded their initial hopes.

He stated that the results of the recent local election, by-election, and mayoral elections were excellent. He further mentioned that the recent elections showed that the Labour Party has undergone a significant transformation compared to its previous state. Today, it meets the crucial tests of the public's trust, such as handling public funds responsibly and ensuring national security.

However, Mr. McFadden accepted that Labour's stance on the Middle East had a negative impact on the party's performance in the recent local elections.

'It's Not Definite'

Mr. Harper expressed his support for the Conservative party's prospects in the upcoming general election, stating that there is still ample opportunity for success. He emphasized the effectiveness of the government's strategy and affirmed his belief in its continued success.

He stated that the Rwanda strategy aims to achieve a certain goal, and that it has been successful thus far, although it is not yet complete.

In my opinion, individuals desire to witness the arrival of goods, leading to a decline in inflation rates. Additionally, they hope for the cessation of boats, and the continual decrease in waiting lists of the National Health Service.

He mentioned that the results of the election were not as expected from the polls. The possibility of a hung parliament shows that the election is uncertain and not already determined.

According to Health Minister Maria Caulfield, it is not necessary to alter the current plan, but it is important to uphold "Conservative values."

Her comment was that she believes it's unnecessary to change our approach and instead we should focus on fulfilling the commitments we made during the 2019 election.

Individuals are feeling disappointed because our actions regarding immigration do not match our promises. The economy has experienced difficulties due to the impact of Covid, and we've also faced the Ukraine conflict.

Apart from Mr Sunak's personal situation, the negative outcomes in the local elections for the Conservative Party increases the likelihood of more internal disagreements about the party's future path.

After losing the mayoral race against Richard Parker of the Labour party, Mr Street highlighted the narrow margin of his loss, as he was only 1,508 votes behind.

Even though he lost, Mr. Street argued that his near success is a testament to the worth of a more moderate form of Conservatism, which contrasts with Ms. Braverman's approach.

People such as the former home secretary are urging Mr Sunak to take a more drastic approach, which puts him in a conflicting situation.