Rumours of a snap election are growing in Westminster following the announcement of a possible summer contest.
A Cabinet meeting has senior Conservatives clearing space in their diaries, with some suggesting a reshuffle might instead be in the offing, with Jeremy Hunt’s position as chancellor at risk.
Adding to mounting speculation, the foreign secretary David Cameron has cut his trip to Albania short to attend this afternoon’s urgent meeting expected around 4pm.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has also delayed his flight to attend a Nato meeting in the Baltic states to attend. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has pulled out from ITV’s Peston show tonight and it will no longer make an appearance.
It comes as Rishi Sunak ruled out an early election when asked by the SNP Westminster leader during today’s PMQs. The PM said: “There will be a general election in the second half of this year.”
At the Commons, Mr Sunak was keen to highlight the latest announcement that inflation figures have fallen to 2.3 per cent - the lowest in almost three years - but the news has been overshadowed by recent scandals.
