Tory rebels call time on leadership challenge as Sunak limps on

Despite disastrous election results, long-threatened coup lacks numbers to force no-confidence vote

After months of plotting to oust Rishi Sunak by some on the right of the Conservative party, the rebellion fizzled out with barely a whimper this weekend despite a disastrous set of local election results.

Senior Tories had long predicted that bad losses could be enough to push their despondent colleagues over the edge, even those who could see that changing leader yet again before the general election could have dire electoral consequences.