The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has said the Conservative Party has 'forfeited the right to govern' and it's 'very hard to see how' Prime Minister Liz Truss will survive.
The PM was battling to save her job today after a chaotic 24 hours which saw the Home Secretary, Suella Braverma, step down for breaching the ministerial code ahead of dramatic scenes in Parliament as Tory MPs were ordered to vote against a fracking ban.
Mr Burnham spoke as Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, called for a general election 'now' in a speech at the annual TUC conference being held in Brighton.
READ MORE: More Tory MPs call on Liz Truss to resign amid government turmoil - LIVE updates
"Britain deserves better, Britain cannot afford the chaos of the Conservatives any more, we need a general election now," said Mr Starmer. "Never again can Britain take seriously their claim to be a party of aspiration or sound money. Last night in Parliament, even by their standards, a new chaotic low."
Mr Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester in his weekly phone-in the current situation was 'unsustainable' for Prime Minister Liz Truss.
He said: "I think they have forfeited the right to govern. I think they have got to look themselves in the mirror today, all of them and ask themselves does the Conservative Party have what it takes to govern this country through a cost of living crisis because I think the answer is clearly, no.
"They have not got the stability, the unity to be a functioning government." Asked whether Ms Truss would 'survive', he replied: "It's very hard to see how. We are in a cost of living crisis and you've got utter meltdown in national Government."
Mr Burnham said he 'honestly can not see how this can last' and, asked whether Ms Truss would 'last the day', replied: "That's up to Tory MPs and I do not know where their state of mind is - it's turmoil isn't it.
"It looks like she will struggle through, if you like, if the cabinet is still with her, but is that in everyone else's interests." Mr Burnham said he was also worried about possible 'deep spending cuts' in Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's budget on Halloween.
Should Liz Truss resign? Have your say in our comments.
The developments came as a number of Tory MPs called on Ms Truss to stand down as PM. Miriam Cates, Conservative MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge and a member of the 1922 Committee, told Times Radio: "It's time for the Prime Minister to go. I think the Prime Minister has lost the confidence of MPs and we're in a real mess, aren't we?"
Sheryll Murray, Conservative MP for South East Cornwall, said the Prime Minister's position has become 'untenable'. She said in a tweet: "I had high hopes for Liz Truss but after what happened last night her position has become untenable and I have submitted a letter to Sir Graham Brady."
Steve Double, Conservative MP for St Austell and Newquay, said he believes Liz Truss should resign. He told Times Radio: "I believe the scenes of yesterday have shown that there is no functioning Government, it's completely broken down. She isn't up to the job, sadly, and I think it’s time for her to just accept that and announce that she’s going to step down and allow us to find someone else."
The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, said he has asked the Serjeant at Arms and other officials to investigate allegations made about incidents in the House of Commons on Wednesday night.
It follows claims some Tory MPs were 'physically manhandled' to vote and rumours - later denied by No 10 - that the Government's chief whip, Wendy Morton, and her deputy, Craig Whittaker, had resigned.
Sir Lindsay said: "I want this to be a House in which we, while we might have very strong political disagreements, treat each other courteously and with respect, and we should show the same courtesy and respect to those who work with and for us.
"To that end I will be meeting with senior party representatives to seek an agreed position that behaviour like that described last night is not acceptable in all circumstances."
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
