Rishi Sunak said he is “not interested in Westminster politics” and insisted his party is “united” as he brushed off rumours of a plot to oust him.
Asked during a visit to the West Midlands why he did not let one of his “disloyal colleagues” have the “poisoned chalice” of being prime minister, the Tory leader said: “I’m not interested in all Westminster politics. It doesn’t matter.”
He also insisted his party was “united” following negative briefings against him over the weekend.
“All Conservatives are united in wanting to deliver a brighter future for our country,” he said.
Mr Sunak’s failure to turn around the Tories’ opinion poll deficit has fuelled speculation about Conservative MPs considering replacing him with Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt in an attempt to avoid a general election disaster.
The reports emerged after a particularly torrid week which saw the prime minister embroiled in a Tory donor race row and the defection of former deputy chairman Lee Anderson to the Reform party.
Mr Sunak sought to draw a line under the Frank Hester saga, amid continued questions on whether the government will hand back the £10m he donated last year, and if another £5m is in the pipeline, as has been reported.
Mr Hester is reported to have said that left-wing MP Diane Abbott made him “want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot” – comments the prime minister said are “racist”.
Asked why his party would take another £5m from someone who he had said had made racist comments, Mr Sunak told reporters: “He’s already apologised for these comments.
“And my point of view is when someone apologises genuinely, expresses remorse – that should be accepted. And that’s that.”
The prime minister is seeking to shift the political debate to the gradually improving economic outlook as he tries to shore up his leadership.
At a business event in Warwickshire this morning, Mr Sunak gave an upbeat assessment of the nation’s finances and stressed the need to “stick to the plan”.
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