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The mood among many Conservatives was described as “bleak” after Rishi Sunak surprised almost everyone by calling a July election and triggering a fresh round of MPs deciding to stand down.
Four Conservatives said they would not contest their seat in this campaign within less than 24 hours of the snap election being called.
Rail minister Huw Merriman was the most recent to announce his decision, following deputy speaker Eleanor Laing, work and pensions minister Jo Churchill and James Grundy.
It came as some Tories questioned the Prime Minister’s decision to go to the polls early on July 4, with one MP telling i: “It looks like we’ve given up, doesn’t it?”
Another described the atmosphere amongst colleagues as “bleak”.
Others said Mr Sunak should have stuck to what MPs believed was the plan to go for an autumn election to allow more time for the economy to pick up and for the Government to deliver on other policies.
One senior Tory MP said “most” colleagues wanted to go for autumn: “We thought you could get another fiscal statement in, more tax cuts and so on.”
A Tory ex-spad: “I just feel angry. We could have had more time. They should have at least tried. I think in a few weeks I’ll be excited, but not now.”
They added: “That speech was absolutely shocking,” referring to Mr Sunak’s rain-drenched address announcing the election outside No 10 on Wednesday.
But despite the unrest, suggestions that Mr Sunak had called the election because he was on the brink of a vote due to the number of no-confidence letters submitted to the 1922 Committee were dismissed by multiple sources.
i understands that the Prime Minister had in fact been making plans for a summer election for some time.
Sources close to the rebels who tried and failed to oust Mr Sunak in recent months before calling off the coup after the local elections said there was no groundswell of letters going in, with one adding that if there was it was “nothing to do with us”.
Another source close to the former rebels said the idea that MPs were trying to force a leadership vote now in order to stop the snap election was “total hogwash”.
Sunak denied that the real reason for calling a summer election is that inflation is expected to rise again and there is likely to be a spike in small boat arrivals over the summer.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, the Prime Minister said: “No, that’s not the real reason.
“And when it comes to the economy, of course I know there’s more work to do. I know that people are only just starting to feel the benefits of the changes that we’ve brought.
“And for some people when they look at their bank balance at the end of every month it will still be difficult, but we have undeniably made progress and stability has returned.”
Mr Sunak said he chose to call an election earlier than many expected because “the economy has turned a corner”.
The Prime Minister told GB News it was “great to have a chance to explain why”.
“I think after a difficult few years, I’m pleased that economic stability is now returning to the country.
“We’ve just seen that inflation has returned to normal, the economy is growing at a healthy rate again, wages have been rising sustainably for several months now, and although I know not everyone is feeling the full benefits of that yet, it’s clear that we have turned a corner.
“So now is the moment to look to the future, and the world is clearly in a more uncertain place than it’s been in decades. And the question for the country is, the choice of this election is, who’s got the boldest ideas, the clearest plan to provide a secure future for you and your family?”
