Andrew Marr: 'Rishi Sunak is the Tory party's last chance'
24 October 2022, 18:10
Rishi Sunak's time as Prime Minister is the Conservative party's "very last chance" after weeks of chaos that has seen them plummet in the polls, Andrew Marr has said.
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Speaking on LBC's Tonight with Andrew Marr, Andrew said that the Tories have experienced "extinction level polling, which would see them reduced to only a handful of seats - perhaps finishing them off entirely as a political party".
He said on Monday: "Diwali. And the King has a Hindu first minister who's even richer than he is.
"And we have, yet again, a new prime minister. And today is the Conservative party's very last chance. This autumn has been the season of three prime ministers. They've fallen like leaves from a tree.
"It's also been the autumn when we came within touching distance of a genuine, complete financial collapse, a national humiliation which will affect all of us for a long time to come.
"And it was the autumn when the Conservatives experienced extinction level polling, which would see them reduced to only a handful of seats - perhaps finishing them off entirely as a political party.
"You would think they'd have learnt their lesson - that they would finally link arms and support this new prime minister, Rishi Sunak, as if they were a big grown-up political party.
Watch Tonight with Andrew Marr exclusively on Global Player every Monday to Thursday from 6pm to 7pm
Andrew Marr gives take on the prospect of there being a general election
"Well, we’ll see. After months of MPs wearing clown masks trying to stab each other in the back with bananas, And Liz Truss screaming silently as the markets went south, that's what a lot of exhausted voters want.
"Peace. Calm. A little dullness. And it's what the markets want. Of course a lot of other voters quite rightly want something else – a general election to kick the Conservatives out.
"But they were elected only three years ago on a manifesto which still stands. And until Tory MPs decide it's in their best interests to commit political suicide, a general election is something we are not going to get. Things have moved so fast over the last few days.
"Boris Johnson was barrelling back from a Caribbean beach. He had momentum. He was going to stand. He had more than 100 votes. Oh no he didn't. Oh no he wasn't. Collapse of stout party.
You can also listen to the podcast Tonight with Andrew Marr only on Global Player.
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"Then Penny Mordaunt of the Royal Navy was going to take the contest to Tory party members. She had momentum. She had 100 votes. Oh no, she didn't. Today she pulled out. Bad Penny.
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"It turns out that Rishi Sunak, who has said almost nothing recently but has smiled a lot, did have momentum.
"Suddenly, as of this afternoon, Rishi has lots and lots of new friends. Tonight, I’ll be asking what kind of Prime Minister he might be, how big the task for him is, and whether the Tories are at last going to behave like grown ups."
