Rishi Sunak faces PMQs amid reports of attempts to depose him

Rishi Sunak will address his Conservative MPs as he looks to face down reported attempts to depose him.

The Prime Minister will be bolstered by news of a big drop in inflation.

Sunak will undertake the last Prime Minister’s Questions before the House of Commons breaks for Easter.

And he is expected to honour the tradition that a Conservative Party leader appear before the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs at the end of the parliamentary term.

Inflation in the UK has fallen back by more than expected to the lowest level in more than two years as the growth in food prices eased for cash-strapped households, official figures published on Wednesday havwe shown.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that Consumer Prices Index inflation stood at 3.4% in February – down from 4% in January and the lowest level since September 2021.

Most economists had been expecting inflation at 3.5% last month.

Inflation is now closer towards the Bank of England’s 2% target and comes ahead of the latest interest rate decision on Thursday.

But with the governing party trailing heavily in the polls, mutinous rebels have talked up the prospect of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt replacing Sunak in Downing Street, should the Prime Minister face a no confidence vote before the general election.

Mordaunt, who has fought in previous leadership contests, told reporters on Tuesday she was “getting on with my job”.

The Prime Minister expects to hold an election in the second half of 2024 and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt appeared to indicate that October was the most likely month as he gave evidence to a House of Lords committee on Tuesday.

Speaking about departmental funding he said: “This particular spending review has to be complete before next April, when the next financial year starts.

“And of course if the general election is in October that will mean it’s very very tight and that is why we are thinking in advance about the most important element of that spending review which is the productivity element.”

Sunak last week ruled out holding the Westminster election at the same time as May’s local contests.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey will launch his party’s local election campaign in Hertfordshire on Wednesday ahead of the local elections on May 2.