Britain.. An internal conflict threatens the “conservatives” before the October elections

Dina Mahmoud (London)

Amidst expectations that the second Thursday of next October will be set as the date for the upcoming legislative elections in Britain, fears are rising among the ruling Conservative Party, that the vote will result in the party’s exit from power for the first time in 14 years, in light of calls to change its leadership, before it heads. Voters to polling stations.
These fears increased after the results of a recent opinion poll were revealed, indicating that the ruling party since 2010 is on track to suffer the largest electoral defeat in its history, in light of indications that it may only be able to win less than 150 seats if the vote is held today. .
This number is less than the share won by the “Conservatives” in the 1997 elections, when its seats in the House of Commons did not exceed 165 seats, compared to 179 won by the “Labour” Party, led by its leader at the time, Tony Blair. This means, according to what was reported by the British newspaper “Daily Mail”, with a centre-right orientation, that “Labor” has the opportunity this time to achieve a greater victory, with a majority that may exceed 220 seats.
While sources in the Conservative Party say that the results of these polls may not necessarily reflect the voting trends of British voters on polling day, experts in opinion polls and public opinion studies confirm that current indicators indicate that the Labor victory in the upcoming elections is now… It is almost inevitable, and his loss may require that the political arena in the country witness a series of unexpected or potential developments.
But other political sources in London indicate that such a last scenario, even if it happens, may only lead to reducing the majority that the “workers” are expected to gain in Parliament, which fuels the growing calls in the corridors of the “conservatives” to choose a new leader. For the party to succeed its leader and current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, amid escalating disagreements between Sunak’s supporters and his critics.
British media revealed a meeting that took place about a week ago between prominent figures belonging to the right wing of the ruling party, and supporters of Penny Mordaunt, a leader in the Conservatives, who intended to compete for his leadership in the recent internal ballot. Which resulted in late 2022 with Sunak winning both his leadership and the presidency of the government.
According to the right-wing Daily Telegraph newspaper, Conservative representatives expressed during the meeting their willingness to support Mordaunt, saying that she seemed to be the person most capable of curbing the deterioration in the party’s popularity at the present time.
Right decisions
However, Transport Minister Mark Harper, on the other hand, confirmed that Sunak is the one who will lead the party in the elections, which are expected to be held on October 10, stressing that the Prime Minister “is focused on making the right decisions, even if they are not necessarily popular in the short term.” And he is “confident that these decisions will bear fruit.”
As for Mordaunt herself, in statements broadcast by the same network, she denied being involved in any efforts aimed at removing Sunak from the leadership of the “Conservatives” in the coming period.