Let Rishi Sunak ‘get on with the job’, says Grant Shapps

Defence secretary says MPs must give the PM ‘space’ as Tory figures appear to be vying for leadership

Conservative MPs looking for a new party leader need to allow Rishi Sunak to “get on with the job”, Grant Shapps has said.

Amid speculation that Sunak could announce an election next week in order to stave off potential challengers for the top job, the defence secretary said now was not “the time or place” to try to put in place another Conservative leader. The party is on its fifth leader since 2015.