WhatsApps present panicking Tories’ fury at Sunak’s General Election ‘insanity’
Leaked WhatsApp messages show furious Tory members branding Rishi Sunak’s decision to call a July election “madness”.
Panicking right wingers took to chat groups, complaining about the surprise announcement – and discussing whether he could be ousted before the campaign got underway. The Mirror has seen messages sent to several regional WhatsApp groups for members of the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO), a Boris Johnson-backing activist group, during the PM’s Downing Street announcement.
“So he’s decided to pull the pin early,” one member in the South East group fumed. “The clown has just consigned the [Conservatives] to the political wilderness and the country into the dark ages again.”
Another dejected Tory said: “Might as well be a resignation statement.” A third simply said: “Yeah, we’re f****d, excuse my French.”
One member in the North West said: “I won’t be door-knocking, I won’t be leafleting, I won’t be voting. Until such time there is a true Conservative Party then I’m politically hopeless.”
“Had Sunak stepped aside and let someone lead with an immediate election they might have got away with things,” said another Northern member. Another said Mr Sunak had “The charisma of a wasp as far as I’m concerned.”
Finally, later on Wednesday night, some members in the North discussed which members of Tory campaign HQ needed to be “removed.” “Let’s get prepared for the purge,” one said.
Members of the London-based group complained about Rwanda flights being punted until after the election. “Many people, including me, are more bothered by that, pensioners and the NHS than this recent drop in inflation,” said one member. “He has to be replaced and now.”
And moments before the PM’s speech, Tory donor and CDO chairman David Campbell Bannerman wrote in one group: “Can we have a no confidence vote immediately?”
Members of all three groups discussed rumoured moves to oust Mr Sunak before the election could take place. One in London referenced the BBC Top Gear’s enigmatic stunt driver, asking: “The question is – do we have The Stig ready and waiting to take over?”
Another joked: “We don’t need a Stig. We just need someone who has passed their driving test and can see over the steering wheel.” Some members in the South East questioned whether Mr Sunak had gone to the country early to avoid a vote of no confidence.
“If they remove him today, there’s a chance,” one member said – but was told by another that Tory MPs were “all too weak.”
