Rishi Sunak still refuses to rule out July election despite being hit with defection of Tory MP to Labour and warnings it would be 'suicide' - as crucial local polls loom this week

Rishi Sunak has again refused to rule out a July general election despite being hit with the defection of a Tory MP to Labour and warnings it would be 'suicide'.

The PM dodged as he was grilled on the timing of a national ballot, insisting he would not go any further than that it will be in the second half of the year.

Frenzied rumours have been circulating at Westminster that Mr Sunak is about to pull the trigger on a contest, even though polls show Labour with a massive advantage.

Tories fear they are on track for a drubbing in local elections on Thursday, with hundreds of council seats on the line and key mayoral jobs. 

In a fresh blow, Dan Poulter announced last night that he was quitting the party, which the part-time doctor complained was not prioritising the NHS.

Senior Conservatives have warned that it would be 'suicidal' to go to the polls this summer, with most anticipating a date in the Autumn.   

Mr Sunak was asked on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, before news of the defection broke, whether the latter half of 2024 could mean July.

The premier replied: 'I'm not going to say anything more than I've already said, I've been very clear about that.'

Pressed repeatedly whether he was ruling out July, he said: 'I'm not going to do that.

'You're going to try and draw whatever conclusion you want from what I say. I'm going to always try and say the same thing. You should just listen to what I said, same thing I've said all year.'

When presenter Sir Trevor said he wanted to know when to book his summer holidays, the Prime Minister replied: 'Actually, Trevor, it's more important than your holiday or anyone's holiday. I've got a job to do which is delivering for the country.

'And as we've been talking about, we are delivering when it comes to tackling illegal migration. We're delivering when it comes to investing in our defence.'

Tories are expected to lose about half of their 900 council seats up for election, while their two most high-profile regional mayors face difficult contests.

Defeat for West Midlands Mayor Andy Street and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen could spark a fresh coup bid against the PM.

There were wild rumours swirling last week that Mr Sunak could fire the starting gun on an election campaign as soon as tomorrow in a bid to thwart a possible challenge from restive MPs, though Downing Street brushed them off.

The latest possible date he could hold the election is January 28 2025.

Mr Sunak sought to bolster his premiership this week with a flurry of announcements, including the passing of Rwanda asylum legislation and a pledge to spend 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product on defence by 2030.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps urged colleagues considering ousting Mr Sunak before the general election to 'let him get on with the job'.

'Now is not the time or place' to try to put in place yet another Conservative leader, he told The Times.

But a BMG survey for the i paper suggested that voters who backed the Conservatives in 2019, but have since deserted the party, would be more likely to vote Tory under a different leader.