London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Oct 24, 2025

Cabinet minister urges Tory MPs to unite behind Liz Truss

Cabinet minister urges Tory MPs to unite behind Liz Truss

Cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi has urged Tories to rally behind Prime Minister Liz Truss after weeks of unrest over her policies.

Mr Zahawi told the BBC that division would delay the growth plan and risk defeat at the next election.

But ex-culture secretary Nadine Dorries warned Ms Truss needed to be a "unifier", not a "disrupter".

Mr Zahawi's call for unity was echoed by other cabinet ministers in Sunday newspaper articles.

When asked if he could see a situation where the Conservatives oust Ms Truss, Mr Zahawi told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: "No, I think what the party will do is get behind Liz Truss."

Calling delay "our great enemy", Mr Zahawi said the government had to focus on delivering its plan for economic growth and lowering energy bills, adding how it would "demonstrate in 24 months' time how we have delivered".

Mr Zahawi also accused Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of using "dangerous language" when she took a swipe at the Conservatives on the same programme.

Speaking ahead of the SNP's party conference in Aberdeen on Sunday, Ms Sturgeon said she would prefer a Labour rather than a Tory government, adding: "I detest the Tories and everything they stand for."

Ms Dorries told the programme the Tories faced electoral "wipeout" and urged the prime minister to "reflect on what's gone wrong" in recent weeks.

When asked about her suggestion in a tweet that the prime minister should call a general election if she wanted to drop the policies of Boris Johnson, she said if Ms Truss introduced a "completely new set of policy ideas", it would "be right to go to the country".

But she continued: "Liz doesn't need to do that. And I really hope she won't do that when we're 30 points behind in the polls [to Labour]."

Ms Dorries, who insisted she was "still one of Liz's biggest supporters", called on Tory colleagues to unify behind the prime minister.

The calls to cease the public divisions within the party follow a turbulent week for Ms Truss, with interventions from former ministers and backbenchers forcing a U-turn over plans to scrap the top 45p rate of tax on the highest earners.

Disagreements also emerged over calls to raise benefits in line with inflation.

When asked if Boris Johnson could return as prime minister, Ms Dorries said she did not "rule anything out" but it was "extremely unlikely".

Mr Zahawi said he could not see Mr Johnson returning, saying the former prime minister was "telling all colleagues to get behind Liz".

Mr Zahawi and other cabinet colleagues - including Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt - penned opinion pieces in Sunday's newspapers. Ms Braverman and Mr Zahawi both suggested any future Labour administration would be propped up by the SNP.

BBC political correspondent Ian Watson says No 10 is keen to quell any talk of rebellion among Conservatives as MPs return to Westminster this week after the party conference season.

But he says despite the co-ordinated messages from cabinet ministers, Ms Truss's internal critics could interpret the need for such explicit declarations of support as a sign of vulnerability.


Watch: I detest the Tories and everything they stand for - Nicola Sturgeon

Watch: Dorries quizzed over potential Boris Johnson return



Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Lakestar to Halt External Fundraising as Investor in Revolut and Spotify
U.S. Innovation Ranking Under Scrutiny as China Leads Output Outputs but Ranks 10th
Three Men Arrested in London on Suspicion of Spying for Russia
Porsche Reverses EV Strategy as New CEO Bets on Petrol and Hybrids
Singapore’s Prime Minister Warns of ‘Messy’ Transition to Post-American Global Order
Andreessen Horowitz Sets Sights on Ten-Billion-Dollar Fund for Tech Surge
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
×