Is the Trussite Tory ‘growth group’ a threat to Rishi Sunak?

Tory MPs gathered last night for the first meeting of a new growth caucus. Under the working title ‘Conservative Growth Group’, this gathering of like-minded MPs is planning to push a growth agenda – and manoeuvre the Prime Minister into adopting some of its preferred policies. The group is led by two men who served as cabinet ministers under Liz Truss: former levelling up secretary Simon Clarke and former environment secretary Ranil Jayawardena. While many of the policies are ones that the former prime minister is likely to support – and she is a member of the group – she does not have a formal role in the organisation. 

The group currently has around 40 members and will work to discuss supply-side reform. It is part of a wider effort by those who backed Truss for the leadership to make sure that the growth agenda does not end with her premiership.