Rishi Sunak must boost defence spending to avoid electoral wipeout, Tories warn

TORY plotters say the only hope of avoiding electoral wipeout is a massive rise in defence spending and an election fought on the threat of war.

Senior Conservatives say the menace of Russia, China and Iran means security and defence need to be front and centre of a “Your country needs you” election.

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One veteran Conservative MP told The Sun: “If Rishi won’t open the purse strings for our national security, Penny Mordaunt would.”

The Commons Leader — who briefly served as Defence Secretary — has publicly called for an increase in defence spending.

It is understood that plea was central to why some key figures on the Right of the party have been a willing to consider her as a possible replacement for Mr Sunak ahead of the next election.

Another MP who wants Ms Mordaunt to take over told The Sun: “We need to get real about the threat facing the country and fight the election on our strongest ground.

“Nobody believes Labour really get this.”

Meanwhile, ex-Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has called on both major parties to include a pledge to raise defence to three per cent of GDP in their manifestos.

And he warned Tory plotters it was “too late” to get rid of Rishi Sunak.

Speaking on Times Radio, he urged warring tribes to turn their fire on the opposition instead.