David TC Davies on Tory plotters: 'We've got a few idiots in our party’

David TC Davies has served as Secretary of State for Wales since 2022. Credit: PA

Wales’ most senior representative in the UK Government has warned his fellow party members to focus on backing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

In a strong defence of his prime minister, David TC Davies referred to some members of The Conservative Party as “idiots” for plotting to remove him.

The prime minister has been under pressure from backbench Conservative MPs over several policies including controversial plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. 

The government also faces two by-elections in Kingswood and Wellingborough today that could cause further headaches for Mr Sunak as he prepares to lead his party into a General Election at some point this year.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he is 'absolutely committed' to his Rwanda scheme. Credit: PA

Speaking to ITV Cymru Wales’ Face To Face programme, Mr Davies said: “We’ve got a few idiots in our party.

“We have a very very good leader and Prime Minister [in Rishi Sunak] and I think people in our party should get behind him and not worry about pushing other agendas.”

Asked who he was referring to, and whether it included former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, Mr Davies refused to name any individuals.

However, there are several members of the Conservative parliamentary party who have openly criticised the prime minister, and they include close allies Mr Sunak’s most recent predecessors.

On the weekend, former UK Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, who briefly headed up the Treasury during Liz Truss’ premiership, said Mr Sunak should be “swallowing some pride” and bringing back Boris Johnson to help boost the Tories’ electoral fortunes.

The Conservatives have regularly found themselves far adrift of Labour in the polls, with some pollsters predicting the Tories could lose more than 100 seats at the next election.

In 1997, the Conservatives lost every single seat in Wales, including in Mr Davies’ constituency of Monmouth, considered by many to be a stronghold of conservatism in Wales. 

David TC Davies has been an ally of Rishi Sunak in Westminster and an outspoken critic of Mark Drakeford's Labour government in Wales. Credit: PA

Mr Davies has held the seat as its MP since 2005 and retained it with a majority of 9,982 in 2019.

Asked whether he is worried about losing his seat, Mr Davies said: “I worry every day about losing my seat. I have worried every day since 1999 about losing my seat.

“Seven successful elections later and I still worry about losing my seat.

“I’m not one of these arrogant people who think they’re going to win an election. I hope Labour enjoy their poll leads, I’m out knocking on people’s doors and talking to people.

“If we behave in a responsible united fashion that election is up for grabs.”

Watch Face To Face at 10:45pm on Thursday, February 15 on ITV Cymru Wales and catch up afterwards on ITVX.