A former Tory minister has launched a ferocious attack on Liz Truss as she prepares to launch yet another Conservative Party faction.
Conor Burns told the ex-prime minister to “shut up” after it emerged she and other right-wingers are setting up a new group called ‘Popular Conservatism’.
It describes itself as “a new movement aiming to restore democratic accountability to Britain and deliver popular conservative policies”.
Among those also backing the group are Jacob Rees-Mogg and Simon Clarke, who last night caused furore in the Tory Party by calling for Rishi Sunak to be ousted as prime minister.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) Truss announced that the group is holding a launch event in central London on February 6.
But Burns, who served under Boris Johnson and was sacked as trade minister by Truss, replied: “It worked so well last time she had a go. Shut. Up.”
Remarkably, Popular Conservativism will become the sixth Tory faction in parliament.
The others - dubbed the “five families” - are the New Conservatives, the Common Sense Group, the One Nation Caucus, the Northern Research Group and the European Research Group.
The deep splits within the Tory Party burst into the open again last night as MPs criticised Clarke following his warning that the Conservatives will be “massacred” if Sunak leads them into the general election.
Former Brexit secretary David Davis said: “This is getting silly. The party and the country are sick and tired of MPs putting their own leadership ambitions ahead of the UK’s best interests.”