Rishi Sunak has admitted the Tories may not win the general election after grim defeats in the local polls.
The prime minister suggested the UK was on course for a hung parliament and claimed voters would not want to see Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer “propped up in Downing Street” by the SNP or smaller parties.
In an interview with The Times, Mr Sunak pointed to Sky News analysis of the local election results by election expert Professor Michael Thrasher which suggested Labour would be the largest party in a hung parliament.
Politics live: PM told to ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ after elections
“These results suggest we are heading for a hung parliament with Labour as the largest party,” Mr Sunak told the paper.
“Keir Starmer propped up in Downing Street by the SNP, Liberal Democrats and the Greens would be a disaster for Britain.
“The country doesn’t need more political horse-trading, but action. We are the only party that has a plan to deliver on the priorities of the people.”
Meanwhile, Tory rebels have warned the prime minister to change his political course after the weekend’s local election results.
Read more:
The local election winners and losers
Charts tell story of Conservative collapse
Analysis: Labour’s future success is less clear-cut
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Sunak urged to take party towards right
Former home secretary Suella Braverman urged him to mould the party towards the right in order to win back voters.
But she told the BBC a change of leadership was not a “feasible prospect,” adding: “There is no superman or superwoman out there who can do it.”
Ms Braverman urged the prime minister to adopt several measures to win back voters, including further tax cuts and a cap on legal migration.
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Tories ‘up for the fight,’ minister insists
But Transport Secretary Mark Harper insisted Mr Sunak and the Tories are “up for the fight” of a general election despite their terrible results in the local contests.
Talking to Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, the minister said: “I think the key thing that people need to do now is get behind the prime minister, focus on the things the government is focused on delivering – the British people’s priorities around the economy, dealing with migration – and get out there and take that fight to the country ahead of the general election.”
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Labour won 1,158 seats in the 107 councils in England that held elections on 2 May, an increase of more than 232.
The Liberal Democrats won 552 seats, up nearly 100, while the Tories came in third place on 515 seats, down nearly 400.
