Trevor Phillips has called out Rishi Sunak for allegedly choosing not to make a speech at this year’s Tory conference.
The former PM, who is still the leader of the Conservatives until his replacement takes over in November, has been laying low ever since he led the party through a catastrophic defeat in the general election.
So on Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, the host addressed this week’s reports that Sunak would not even be addressing his fellow Tories this year, although he will allegedly still be attended.
Speaking to Conservative frontbencher Victoria Atkins, Phillips said: “We understand that the current party leader won’t be delivering a speech to the conference.
“That will be the first time that there won’t be a leader’s speech at a conference since 1963 – and the reason then was that [Harold] McMillan was in hospital with problems with what he thought was prostate cancer, and he resigned that week.
“Michael Howard, gave a speech in 2005 after he was defeated in the general election.
“Does that tell us something about Rishi Sunak’s political judgement? He’s basically seems to have walked off the pitch.”
Atkins, who served as the health secretary in Sunak’s government, said she could not confirm or deny Sunak’s plans for conference.
But she said: “In terms of Rishi Sunak’s leadership, he gave his all to our country.”
Phillips cut in: “Yeah, I’m not asking you about that, I’m asking you about how you feel about the fact that he has just decided, apparently, not to do what every leader since time immemorial has done.”
Atkins said she knows that Sunak “is very, very committed to leading this party and holding the Labour government to account”.
“It’s a character thing though, isn’t it?” Phillips said, before recalling how Atkins’ father was an MP in 1984, when then-PM Margaret Thatcher survived the Brighton bombing – and was on the platform six hours later.
“What do you think [your father] would have thought about a leader who says, ‘I lost, I’m off to California’?” Phillips asked.
Sunak has a house in California and previously had a green card to live in the States, but during the election campaign he said he would not be moving to the US even if he lost.
Atkins told Phillips she would not draw parallels between that 1984 attack and present day, but added: “It will be for Rishi to decide what role he is taking at conference.”
Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, Mel Stride, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat are all standing to replace Sunak as the next Tory leader.
Atkins suggested the conference is an opportunity for the candidates to “show their wares” instead.