TRANSPORT Secretary Mark Harper said that he has full confidence in the Prime Minister amid reports of a rebellion among MPs against Rishi Sunak.

He told GB News: “I have total confidence in the Prime Minister. I campaigned very hard to get him to be Prime Minister in the first place.

“I think he’s repaid the confidence we’ve had in him in the year that he’s been Prime Minister. He is totally focused on the priorities that he set out which are the right priorities for the British people.

“And I know the Conservative Parliamentary Party is fully behind him as we set that agenda out as we deliver on those promises in the months to come.”

Speaking during Breakfast with Pip Tomson and Ellie Costello, he said the twin by-election losses in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire were due to Conservative voters staying at home.

He said: “That’s what happens in by-elections. The turnout in both by-elections was very low. As I said, Labour’s vote was actually lower than in 2019. Clearly Conservative voters didn’t come out, now that is a problem.

“That’s why we need to keep focused on the important things that matter to people: driving down inflation, growing the economy, stopping the boats, keeping debt under control, all of the things that matter to people, as well as the international leadership that the Prime Minister is providing. We’ve got to keep focus on those day in and day out.”

He added: “We need to keep focused on the everyday issues that concern people. And if we deliver on the promises that we’ve set out, then we will make that argument to the country whenever the election comes, I’m confident we’ll be successful.”

Asked about the British hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza, Harper said: “I’m not going to talk obviously, about specific circumstances you wouldn’t expect me to do so. But you’ll have seen last week the Foreign Secretary and the Prime Minister in the region, talking to leaders not just in Israel, but also in the surrounding countries.

“So in Egypt, in Saudi Arabia, and in Qatar working very hard, both dealing with the hostages, the British citizens that have been taken hostage, these other citizens that have been taken hostage, but also talking to Israel, supporting them in their right to defend their country from Hamas is attack but also urging humanitarian support for the innocent Palestinian people who are just as much victims of Hamas as those living in Israel.”