A defiant Rishi Sunak insisted he would still be Prime Minister after May's local elections as he dismissed "Westminster gossip" about Tory leadership plots and sought to rally his party behind him.Mr Sunak issued a call to arms to Conservative MPs in Parliament as he battled to assert his authority following days of speculation about his position.

A defiant Rishi Sunak insisted he would still be Prime Minister after May's local elections as he dismissed "Westminster gossip" about Tory leadership plots and sought to rally his party behind him.Mr Sunak issued a call to arms to Conservative MPs in Parliament as he battled to assert his authority following days of speculation about his position.