The only political party caught off guard by Rishi Sunak’s snap election decision is the Conservative Party itself. 

Sunak keeps claiming he has a plan. If he has, then he has yet to share it with his party which lacks a fully thought through manifesto. They are just flying “on a wing and a prayer”. – Owl

Steven Swinford, Matt Dathan www.thetimes.co.uk

Rishi Sunak has a problem. His decision to call a snap election may have earned him a political advantage, but many of his MPs — and members of his cabinet — are furious. They believe that it is a mistake and that they are more likely to lose their seats because of it.

The prime minister presented the July 4 election to his cabinet as a fait accompli, having already informed the King before he told them. The rationale behind it was simple — the fewer people knew, the less likely it was to leak. But there is bitterness in the Tory ranks.

“I can see the value in going early and surprising Labour, Farage and co,” one cabinet minister said. “But it was disrespectful and shows he clearly doesn’t trust us. Above all, it shows he didn’t value our opinion at all on the timing of the election. There’s not a chance we’ll win.”

The rancour on the backbenches runs just as deep. Many Tory MPs say they have not had time to raise enough funds for the battle ahead. They say they now find themselves in an existential battle for marginal seats without the resources to fight.

The concern is reflected on both sides. A leaked memo from Tory headquarters, seen by The Times, accused cabinet ministers and MPs of failing to “get behind” the campaign and refusing to knock on doors. Dwindling levels of funding were repeatedly flagged as an issue, while some ministers were refusing to co-operate with CCHQ.

The Conservative Party’s faltering start to the campaign — Sunak calling the election in the rain outside No 10, a visit to the Titanic quarter in Belfast — has also led to concerns. The challenge for the prime minister now will be how to retain discipline as Tory MPs fight for their futures.

Events of the weekend suggest that it could be challenging. Steve Baker, a Northern Ireland minister, has gone public in criticising Sunak’s flagship national service scheme. The scheme, he says, was drawn up by political advisers and “sprung” on MPs without any consultation.

Baker has a majority of just 4,214 in his constituency so feels he has little to lose by making his views public. He has effectively challenged CCHQ to sack him if they wish to censure him. Something they are highly unlikely to do given the proximity to the general election.

Sunak knows he needs to go hard if he is to have any hope of closing Labour’s poll lead. But doing so comes with its own inherent risks, as much within the Conservative Party as without.