Conservative MPs speculating about ousting Rishi Sunak as prime minister should “stop it”, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has said.
Reports have been swirling in recent days that some Conservative MPs want Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt to replace him.
But Ms Badenoch told BBC Breakfast this was only “a small minority of MPs”.
Asked about reports that support was gathering around Ms Mordaunt as a potential replacement for the PM, Ms Badenoch said: “I’m sure if Penny was here she would be distancing herself from those comments.
“I’ve been saying for a long time that the small minority of MPs who think that this is something to be talking about should stop it.”
She added: “I don’t think there is very much to these rumours… We need to make sure one or two MPs cannot dominate the news narrative, when 350 plus MPs have different views.”
