ok, christopher chope, many thanks — our economy.ed for your - our economy. ok, christopher chope, many thanks indeed for your time - many thanks indeed for your time today. i'mjoined by many thanks indeed for your time today. i'm joined by tim vale. sorry, i'm in the rain here. is it possible for the prime minister to remain in office given her credibility? to remain in office given her credibility?— remain in office given her credibility? remain in office given her credibili ? ., , ., , credibility? to be honest, i doubt it. ithink credibility? to be honest, i doubt it. i think her— credibility? to be honest, i doubt it. i think her credibility's - it. i think her credibility's completely sought. you saw that press conference she didn't really dare carry on for more than ten minutes in case she was unable to answer some very difficult questions that journalists were answer some very difficult questions thatjournalists were posing to her. i think so many of her mps now have seen the opinion polls crashed in the last two weeks. i don

we heard from a conservative backbencher, sir christopher chope who said that while he has no doubt aboutcerity of what the prime minister was saying, he was disappointed by her lack of resolve, as he put it. that was an important supporter of liz truss, veteran mp and former minister dating back to margaret thatcher's government. we also heard from the conservative mp in dorset, one conservative mp who said it will be very difficult and evenjeremy hunt's own constituency party chairman, shaun donovan smith, speaking on bbc radio surrey today said it will be disingenuous of me to put a positive spin on where we are right now. everyone concede that it is a challenging situation we are in, largely the creation of liz truss and the challenge is to see if we can reverse it. let's hear what liz truss had to say when she spoke to journalists at her news conference. she was asked why if the chancellor had to go she could stay. my conviction this country needs to go for growth is rooted in my personal experience. i know what it's like to grow up somewhere that isn't feeling the benefits of growth

but there are one or two now publicly say, christopher chope being one of them, saying that maybe, givene that is what should happen. we question, a bee that is what should ha en. ~ , question, a bee that is what should hauen,. , happen. we will be back with you shortl , happen. we will be back with you shortly. chris. — happen. we will be back with you shortly, chris. in _ happen. we will be back with you shortly, chris. in the _ happen. we will be back with you shortly, chris. in the meantime, | shortly, chris. in the meantime, let's go to vicki young, who is in downing street. so a three horse race became a two—horse race last night when borisjohnson dropped out, but penny mordaunt has it all to do. what are you hearing about the numbers? in to do. what are you hearing about the numbers?— the numbers? in my way here, i walked through _ the numbers? in my way here, i walked through parliament - the numbers? in my way here, i walked through parliament and l the numbers? in my way here, i - walked through parliament and bumped into several conservative mps, some of the cabinet, some mini

sir christopher chope, conservative backbencher, told the bbc this morning he thinks the conservativepporters of borisjohnson. he claims there are more than 100 in total. more than 60 who are willing total. more than 60 who are willing to publicly say they would rather have had the guy they slung out of office less than two months ago, rather than rishi sunak or penny mordaunt. i am rather than rishi sunak or penny mordaunt. iam not rather than rishi sunak or penny mordaunt. i am not saying all of them will be instantly rebellious. some have publicly said they would back the new prime minister. but it gives you an insight into how willing they are to be open—minded, independent minded, in terms of how they handle themselves, that they were so keen to publicly endorse borisjohnson. so the challenges for the new prime minister will be colossal, the very same challenges, the same basket of problems, that liz truss encountered. look what happened to her. the new prime minister willjust have to hope that the conservative party has got past these insatiable appetite for insurrection, becaus