Rishi Sunak appoints ‘interim’ shadow Cabinet

Rishi Sunak, who is staying on until a replacement is chosen, acted as shellshocked MPs try to come to terms with the scale of their defeat.

DAILY MAIL

Rishi Sunak moved to appoint an ‘interim’ shadow Cabinet tonight after the Tories’ disastrous election meltdown.

The party leader, who is staying on until a replacement is chosen, acted as shellshocked MPs try to come to terms with the scale of their defeat.

Party chairman Richard Holden has quit in recognition of his role in the carnage, while Lord Cameron has also stepped down as shadow foreign secretary.

Richard Fuller – former economic secretary to the Treasury – has taken Mr Holden’s place while Andrew Mitchell will shadow the foreign affairs brief.

Jeremy Hunt and James Cleverly are staying in their roles as shadow chancellor and home secretary respectively.

Mr Sunak himself was not quoted speaking about the overhaul, unveiled in a press release from CCHQ, as infighting gathers pace between Conservative factions on how to respond to Labour’s landslide and the threat from Reform.

The Tory civil war is ramping up today as the Right blames moderates for putting ‘Suicide Sunak’ in charge of the party. 

Tensions have been rising between surviving MPs with potential successors including Suella Braverman, Priti Patel, Robert Jenrick and Tom Tugendhat circling.

But splits are already emerging among the 121-strong rump in the Commons over how to recover and counter the threat from Nigel Farage‘s Reform, amid warnings that a ‘battle for the soul’ of the party is under way.