Former home secretary Suella Braverman, who was sacked by Rishi Sunak at the end of last year, has appeared on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.

“The plan is not working and I despair at these terrible results,” she said.

“There is no spinning these results, there is no disguising the fact that these have been terrible election results for the Conservatives and they suggest that we are heading to a Labour government, and that fills me with horror.

“I love my country, I care about my party and I want us to win, and I am urging the prime minister to change course, to with humility reflect on what voters are telling us, and change the plan and the way that he is communicating and leading us.”

This comes after Andy Street, the outgoing Conservative West Midlands mayor, urged the PM not to heed calls from Tory rebels to shift to the right following the local election results.