Penny Mordaunt has been urged to "address the elephant in the room" amid swirling rumours of a Conservative leadership plot.
Addressing the Commons Leader at Business Questions today, Shadow Commons leader Lucy Powell said: "Let’s address the elephant in the room, there’s an unusual level of interest in today’s business questions following the swirling rumours and speculation.
"Thousands of column inches written about the unfolding drama.
"Will she? Won’t she? When will it come to a head? Yet, she’s remained tight-lipped, ducking the questions."
MPs from the right of the party are said to have held talks about putting the current Leader of the House of Commons in charge of the party
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Responding, Mordaunt said: "I have briefly emerged from under the hairdryer, put down my Take a Break magazine, managed not only to find my way to the Chamber this morning but also remember on which side of it I am supposed to be sitting.
"To be present and correct for business questions, quite a feat if media reports are to be believed."
She added: "It is confirmation that the plan is working when on Thursdays the opposition focuses not on these facts in the real world but on the Westminster rumour vortex."
MPs from the right of the party are said to have held talks about putting the current Leader of the House of Commons in charge of the party amid growing concern over the direction of Sunak's leadership and devastating poll ratings.
A Tory source last week told GB News there are a “significant number” of MPs who think it would be “cleaner” to put in a caretaker PM, who would take over for a set period ahead of a general election.
They said: "They could call an election and have a 100 -day campaign. That way they can fight it with fresh leadership and draw a line under the chaos.
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Last night, Rishi Sunak attempted to rally his MPs around him at a meeting of Conservative backbenchers
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“Surely it’s easier to fight an election with a new prospect for Prime Minister, rather than an incumbent.”
Last night, Rishi Sunak attempted to rally his MPs around him at a meeting of Conservative backbenchers. The Prime Minister told MPs “we are in the fight of our lives” and that “this battle will define us.”
But a source told GB News Conservative MP Jake Berry challenged Sunak over his attempt to generate unity, accusing the PM of having briefed journalists that he was behind last weekend's leadership rumours.
Berry is said to have stressed that he supports the Prime Minister and denied being involved in leadership speculation.